Living Grass--Fall River Fly Rod Review

The glory that is the origins of our sport

Split cane started and continues to be the backbone of fly fishing.  With the majority of fly rods on the marketed as technological wonders that make you cast farther and your male parts stronger longer (ha, kidding) it was a joy to cast a contemporary bamboo fly rod that made me stop, slow down and smell the fly fishing roses.

Way back in February, I was selected to be a part of the Outdoor Blogger Network Fall River Fly Rods blogger tour.  15 lucky buggers would get the opportunity to wiggle, cast and fish a beautiful 8 ft 5 wt, that is paired with a Montana Fly Co's Madison II fly reel and a Rio 5wt LT trout series line

In short, this set up is amazing.

The order of who got the rod was completely random.

And random bit me in the butt.  I am last in the tour and by the leather bound journal that accompanied this beauty across the country several times, other's have tasted on water success with the Fall River Fly Rod in their hands. 

None the less, I can imagine what it would be like to be on the St Joe or the North Fork of the Clearwater tossing small PMD's or bushy Stimulators with this piece of living grass.  It's built not like your grandfather's bamboo...all wobbly and such.  No no, it's fairly fast and responsive, but responds to the forward casting stroke that behaves better when you slow it down a bit and let the craftsmanship of rod bend and flex, expressing the energy you as the caster put into the bamboo.

The wraps are beautiful.  The guides are beautiful.  The finish is beautiful

I sound like a 12 year old school girl.

But alas, I was reduced to casting on another form of grass.  My trout rivers were blown, the Spokane River trout thumb their noses to dry flies 97% of the time and any free time I get this time of year, I chase steelhead.

I still cant get it out of my head out fun this stick would be to use as cutthroat rise continually on a warm summer day.

That combo would be lights out.

There is hope.  The powers that be at the Outdoor Blogger Network are giving this set up away to one of the lucky 15. 

So do me a favor, send me some good juju, and somehow I will pay you all back.

Until then!

TU Blogger Tour Entry--A Symbol of Yellowstone

This is my submission for the Trout Unlimited, Simms, the Yellowstone Park Foundation and the Outdoor Blogger Network – Blogger Tour 2012 contest.”
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They’re a miracle of evolution, god’s intent  and a little bit a primordial luck thrown in there.

In short, they’re the ultimate gift to a fly fisherman or woman.

Eking out and existence in the mountainous west, they rise with uninterrupted abandon to whatever food source is readily available.  Time has taught the species that if they don’t go hunt down their food, they go hungry

A fly fisherman doesn’t have to be told this; he experiences it on a slashing rise to his Chubby Chernobyl as it rides down the soft seam of current beyond the big boulders.

Some say they’re dumb.  A challenge only worthy of beginners…

The smiling angler who knows better calls that baloney.

An indicator of ecological balance and ecosystem health, they serve as our canary in the coal mine.  Pushed out, over competed or turned away by pollution, we need to take heed to where they have disappeared from.

A western stream without Cutthroat Trout is a travesty, and we need to fight to protect them.

Yellowstone National Park is a symbol of our country.  Wild, rugged and impossibly beautiful.

I submit to that beyond the buffalo and the elk that roam it’s wild land; the Yellowstone Cutthroat is the ultimate symbol of the park’s spirit. 

Through our hands we have outcompeted these native fish park-wide.   Non native lake trout have put a massive dent in their population and through evolving without brown or rainbow trout, the cutties of Yellowstone face an uncertain future.   Plain and simple,  they can’t compete on their relatively new playing field

While my experiences inside the park are limited to a few trips as a child,  I speak out now because I want to know that this key cog in the collective Yellowstone ecosystem remains in play, forever.

But, there’s hope.   The winds of policy change in the park and in our governmental agencies are pushing for protection of the Yellowstone Cutthroat.  Netting of Yellowstone Lake for Lake Trout has begun to curb their populations but beyond that, it’s up to the angling community to stand tall as advocates.

Become involved, become very involved.  A voice and it’s opinion are never heard unless you find a forum to speak it in.

Think about joining Trout Unlimited, or other groups out there committed to wild fish conservation. 

Because without our collective voices, the plight of the Yellowstone Cutthroat stands the chance of being tossed aside.

We can’t let that happen.

Trout Unlimited Prompt--The Canyon

Recently the good folks at the Outdoor Blogger Network linked up with Trout Unlimited for quite an offer.  Write a blog post on your favorite fishing trip, and have the opportunity to win a hell of a prize.

Click here to read more on the contest.

My favorite fishing trip is more or less one place in my mind.  The Canyon.  Enjoy the read.

My mind instantly goes to one place when someone asks a question like, "where's your favorite place to fish?"

The Canyon.

It's not unknown, but one trip down this section of the Grande Ronde River in extreme Southwest Washington and you know why it's an inspirational place.  Drop an oar into the water at Boggans Oasis and it's you, the river, the fish and 8 or so miles of road-less water that allows you to forget about the rest of the world for a brief moment in time.  As I have said before about this place, your cell phone is about as useless as a paperweight.

Its a rare place of wildness in this connected world.  You get the opportunity to really communicate, with your boat mates and with yourself to lock back in on what's important.  Your Facebook status is non impressive to the big horn sheep that stare at you from the steep canyon walls.

My favorite days on this water bring together two of my favorite things in this world, time with my father and steelhead.   It is such an opportunity to be able to sit in my drift boat with my dad as we search the water for these ghosts of fish.  I can't tell you how many times people have told me that I am lucky to have the relationship I have with my dad.  I know this, and the Canyon gives us the time when it's only us and our jokes, jabs, even a yell or two at each other.  For me, it's perfect.

The water itself is beautiful and foreboding, to be respected as it to be admired.  Admired for the fact that it's perfection for steelhead habitat.  Run after run of water to swing and deep pockets to nymph as the day progresses.  And to bring it all together, the two greatest runs to me on the entire river to end the day on....180 and Pigeon

Over time my father and I have grown to know the water intimately.  On days where commitments draw us in opposite ways, brief conversations about the day allow us to know exactly where fish were found.   The Elbow, Last Chance, so on and so forth.  Like other hallowed steelhead water, we have our names for our favorite places.

The crazy thing that this water was almost lost in it's present form.  Many don't know that it almost was the site of the last dam on the Snake River, and 2 miles of the river would have become a lake.  Thankfully, the project was defeated and never became a reality.

The greatness of this water is due to how rare of a commodity it is.  It allows for a father and son to grow closer together.  It allows you to focus on what is in front of you and only that because you can't do anything else.  It gives you the opportunity to loose yourself  as you focus completely on finding a fish on your line.  Although augmently by hatcheries, the river gives wild fish a fighting chance in spite of the stacked deck against them.

This place has to be protected and tremendous thanks needs to be given to anyone who spends their time and energy to do so.   A place can only defend itself so much, it needs advocates like Trout Unlimited, The Wild Steelhead Coalition and The Native Fish Society to help retain it's current form and ensure it for future generations.

The Canyon's walls draw you in and firmly implants in your brain.   If you haven't been, I hope you get the opportunity to loose yourself in those 8 glorious miles yourself.