The next morning, after a great first day on the water, Danny Reed and I met guide Mike Rennie of Blue Mountain Drift at the gas station for a sausage biscuit and make our plan. Mike pulled up his weather app telling us that it would "noticeably cooler" than the day before.
We all found out that he could not have been more wrong...but we still made the most of it.
After a back roads drive to the river, and working out our self shuttle, we were on the water. Immediately, the heat just kind of settled over us as it was one of those mornings where there isn't any wind, and the air was heavy with humidity. It wasn't even mid-morning and it already felt hotter than the day before. That feeling never let up through the float but frequent swim sessions sure went a long ways in getting us cooled down.
Even through the sweat, we found a few smallmouth, though slurpy rises were more infrequent than the day before. The real hero of the day? Rennie finding choppy side channel pull offs where the three of us soaked and swam to cool down.
These swim sessions were frequent and maybe added an hour or two to our float for all the swimming we did. It felt absolutely glorious. We only regretted leaving the iced down cans of Pacifico in the cooler back at my car.
Around mid-day, we had a tasty lunch under the shade and Rennie picked off a smallmouth in the run below us on a spinning rod.
The day was all in good fun and a stellar way to cap off two days with Danny and Rennie.
EPIC REFERENCE 686 FASTGLASS FLY ROD - This fly rod has been the standard that I judge all other fiberglass 6-weights to and it's still my all time favorite. There's hardly a fly line taper that it doesn't like and if someone is looking for a premium do-it-all 6-weight, this is the one.
KINNI FORGE K2 LANDING NET - Craftsmanship meets functionality with a net that's perfect to carry when wading or scooping fish from boat side. You can read some previous thoughts in this T.F.M. post from June.
ORVIS CLEARWATER FLY REEL - A price value fly reel offering that is available in three sizes which are perfect for banging around a boat or being rough with since the matte finish on either colorway will hide most of the scuffs.
ORVIS MIRAGE LT FLY REEL - Made in U.S.A. quality in four sizes and multiple colorways. I have a few of these fly reels around and they continue to be a favorite for 6-weight through 8-weight outfits.
ORVIS SUPERFINE GLASS FLY RODS - I brought along both the SFG 686 and SFG 888 and spent the second day fishing the 6-weight. The latest generation in both of these fly rods are a few steps ahead of the last and I continue be impressed with the entire Superfine Glass line up. You just can't go wrong with any of them.
PATAGONIA GREAT DIVIDER BOAT BAG 26L - I've been in and out of several boat bags this summer, depending on the trip, and keep coming back to the Great Divider for the interior layout, size, and being watertight. It's not too big but still cavernous.
SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS FLY LINES - This summer, I've been using two fly lines quite a bit with the Amplitude Textured Bass Bug and the new Magnitude Smooth Infinity Clear Tip Float. The more time I spend with the Infinity tapers, the more I dig them and the Bass Bug taper will turn just about any fly over.
TOM BECKBE CANVAS TAILGATER BAG - I'm a bit OCD (okay, a lot...) with my packing and this bag is the perfect solution for carrying along a small bar with individual dividers that hold several bottles, a set of tumblers, accessories and tools, and of course, a Ranger (or two) for tunes.
TOPWATER KREELEX - This classic Chuck Kraft pattern really surprised me. So simple. So effective. It was the only fly I threw for most of the two day trip.
TURTLEBOX RANGER - If you're looking for perfection in a powerful waterproof speaker that you can take everywhere, it's the Ranger. I bought a tan one when they first came out, followed by one for Hadley since she needed one for college and then one for Finn for the golf course, then one to a guide friend as a thank you, and now an orange one for me so I always have two for any trip or adventure. We still use our Original speakers but certainly not as much as the Rangers.
If you find yourself anywhere nearby, book a day or several with Mike Rennie of Blue Mountain Drift. You'll find fish, have a tasty lunch, and maybe even go swimming.
No comments:
Post a Comment