So You Want To Drop Spey Lasers Huh?

Then I suggest you sign up to participate in the Silver Bow Fly Shop's annual Tom Larimer Spey Weekend. 

I began my journey with 2 handed rods in 2009 with the beginner class at this event.  Put it to you this way, it advanced my casting to the point where I felt I could go out and do a bit of damage without looking like a total idiot. 

There's two ways to get better with spey casting

1.  Time on the water

2.  Great instruction

I'd say that great quality instruction is where you can take drastic leaps ahead. 

Tom Larimer is one of the top spey instructors on the West Coast.  He's on staff for several line and rod companies and operates his guide service out of Hood River, OR. 

Learn more about this spey jedi via his guide service web site, Larimer Outfitters

The weekend begins with a steelhead seminar, followed by a beginner and advanced class.   Space is limited in the seminar as well as the classes, so get ahold of Sean and crew and book your spot.

OMR Strikes Again...

It isnt even funny any more. Seriously. 

5 minutes before the closing bell today, OMR goes ahead and ropes a beast.

Amongst the Fly Fishing Degenerate Council, this is the biggest steelhead of the season.

I've yet to hear the full story, but I couldn't be more happy for him.  Ahh, seriously.

Big Water, Big Rods, Big Fish...

There are about 475 reasons why I love this picture. 

What a fall it's been.  Winter has blown the door open here in the Northwest and it's time to add another layer of fleece.  Soon we will devote our time to the big rods and big water.

Usually to big success.

From Stilleto's to Spey Rods...A New Life Discovered.

Gentlemen, we live in a dudes dominated sport.    Just about everything about it is geared for us.  Waders, Rods, Jackets, the drinking, dick and fart jokes....sounding familiar anyone?

Breaking into this crazy bunch isnt easy thing, but imagine being a girl who's never fished before.   

Recently I asked Lisa Rice, a newly devout fisher-lady to write a guest post about the transition from stiletto's to spey rods.  What a gigantic jump?

With help from her helpful fiance Andrew, the candle burns bright for this lady angler.  

It’s hard for me to remember what life was like before casting a spey rod and fishing for steelhead. Although, I am pretty sure it was less exciting, more expensive, and a lot less rewarding.

Growing up, I had horses, so it wasn’t like I never was outdoors or had an outdoor hobby as a kid. I loved digging up clams and getting fresh crab with my family at our cabin in the San Juan Islands. I was a part of Campfire girls. I was a part of Pony Club. I didn’t mind getting my hands dirty. I guess fishing just never was introduced to me in a way that caught on, or was as intriguing as it was when I was shown how to cast a fly rod for the first time.

In college—mostly in the earlier years, I did what a lot of girls my age did. I played volleyball, went on dates, liked to shop, and of course, did my share of partying.  So, the outdoors just stayed- well- outdoors. I found myself working retail and buying the retail I was selling. Shopping was definitely not a foreign idea, and I rarely left the house without makeup on. At the time, it didn’t seem like I was missing out on anything, but now that am in a place where I would rather find myself wading in a river swinging flies for steelhead than in a bar having superficial conversations with people that I can barely hear over loud music, I can definitely say that I wish I had discovered this other world a lot sooner.

Thankfully, almost three years ago, I was united with an amazing man who not only loved to fish, but who also loved to teach people how to fish. It is one thing to date someone who fishes, and they just go do their thing and you go to yours, but it is quite another to date someone who actually wants to show you what they love to do and share it with you. I am grateful to be with the latter. After only dating for a couple weeks, Andrew asked me if I wanted to go with him to a fly-fishing event in Monroe (the Jimmy Green Memorial Fly Expo), so that I could check it all out and he could show me what it was that took up his spare time. It was at this expo that I picked up my first single hand rod, and even tried casting a spey rod for the first time too. I guess I just killed a couple birds with one stone (or a rod in this case…). Shortly after that, we went to his parent’s cabin in the Methow Valley and he took me trout fishing. It was there that I hooked my first small trout and that was it. Pun very much intended—I was HOOKED. Seeing that mouth come up and grab the fly and then watching the line go straight to a shiny silver fish jumping out of the river… it was unbelievable.  Not to mention the whole adrenaline rush of fighting a fish on a fly rod with a single action reel, making it that much more of a challenge and a thrill.

Steelhead, were a foreign species to me when Andrew took me to the Grande Ronde for my first attempt at catching one. He told me that trout fishing was fun and difficult in its own way, but steelhead fishing was what he was really passionate about. He said it was like nothing else, to fight a steelhead on a fly rod. The way they ran and jumped… how you had to work to get these fish to your fly and then, if you were lucky, to your feet. Right away, I was gung-ho and couldn’t wait to get out there and try it for myself. On that trip, I hooked and landed not just one, but four, wild steelhead on a single-handed 9 wt. rod. I was elated. I also was quickly made aware that I was extremely lucky to hook and land that number of amazing fish for my first time out, even for an experienced fisherman. But, I knew that from that point on, I would have a relentless passion for the challenge nonetheless.  I was more than just “hooked”, I was obsessed.

Nearly three years later, I find myself looking for any excuse to get out on the river and cast a spey rod to find more steelhead. Ten years ago, I never would have guessed that I would be in this place-- one of pure enjoyment, unpredictability, excitement, disappointment, unbelievable experiences, memorable adventures and-- most importantly-- a life-long endeavor.

 I love everything about steelhead fishing. I love learning new casts and ways to improve on my casting. I watch videos of well-respected spey casters to learn new techniques.  I read articles and blogs written by other women who fly-fish for steelhead and even some that have made it their career. I admire what they have accomplished, and how they have turned what has been traditionally known as a male dominated sport into one where women are now guiding, teaching and even running fishing lodges all over the world. It is truly spectacular. It makes me hungry for more. I may have only started fishing a couple years ago, but I know now that it is something that I will pursue and embrace from now until I die. It’s knowing that, that makes me realize how lucky I am.


You can find more of Lisa's work at Hoof Prints and Fish Tales, as she too is a blogger.

OMR Drops The Hammer....

Betcha didnt know that spray poles have a tendency to flex this much on the forward stroke. 

Another example of OMR dropping bombs really shows how much they really do taco out.

BTW, check in tomorrow at Chucking Line and Chasing Tail for a little tip on a little knowledge that Steelie Mike gave me last year that resulted in a tug o war with my first steelhead of the 2011 season.

This Dog Should Hunt...Steelhead Caddis Edition

Taking a peek into my traditionals box, I realized I had nothing "October Caddis" like. 

So I said to myself, "self, lets get bizzzzy"

Ingredients

Hook--#4 Alec Jackson style
Back and front dubbing--olive ice dubbing
Shank--gold diamond flat braid
First wing-pheasant
Second wing--Orange guinea

Let me know what you think.  See any improvements I can make, etc.  Send them my way and I will post updates on the recipe.

Now get fishing!

Red Truck Rod Review

Recently, I was given the opportunity to review the new Diesel Series of two handed rods from Red Truck Fly Rods.

Red Truck is a relatively newcomer to the game of branded fly rods, lines and more and is a division of Leland Fly Fishing out of San Fransisco.

Smack dab in the middle of steelhead season, they sent me their Diesel 13'6 Spey and the 11' 7wt Switch

Lets just say I was excited

Lets break this down on my review in the follow categories

1.  Initial Impression

2.  The Wiggle Test

3.  Casting, duh.

4.  The Mulah Factor

5.  Remaining Questions

6.  Bonus Factor.

So here we go.

Initial Impression

I am a sucker for a cool piece of fishing gear.  The rods arrived on my doorstep and I kind of felt like a kid on Christmas morning.  The rod tubes are are an unfinished aluminum and the rods inside have a nice cloth bag.  Standard yes, but the tubes are one level cooler than most.

Wiggle Test

So every time you assemble a rod at a fly shop, you instinctively wiggle it right?  What I took from both these rods was they seemed pretty darn quality.  When you pick up a crappy second rate rod, you know it right away.  The cork is shaped beautifully and when I picked them up....they begged to be cast.

Casting, Duh

The first two factors mean absolutely nothing unless your casting stroke can make the rods work.  For line pairings, I put the Airflo Compact Skagit 510 on the Spey and an Ambush Triangle Taper 8 wt shooting head on the switch.

My other spey rod is 100% different in action so getting to know this particular rod, it's load, it's specific trigger points took me some time.  I find the spey rods action to be a lot slower than I am used to which is neither good nor bad, it just depends on what fits your casting style.  My T and T 13ft 7 weight is lightening fast and conversely the Red Truck Rod is much slower and progressive.  

With that said after a little while, I adjusted my stroke and the rod was lifting the head,  a big heavy T-14 tip and a nasty string leech without much effort.  I am not the greatest spey caster, but this stick kept shooting line as I added it to the loops at my feet.  There is a distinct sweet spot in this stick and when hit, feels like when you knock a fastball over the fence.  In short, I liked it a lot.   I compare this rod to the Echo TR's or the TFO Deer Creek series.

I was even more impressed with the the little switch rod.  I was using it mainly as a nymphing alternative to my 8 wt single hander.  It picked up the indicator, flies and weight pretty well and made the process of nymphing really enjoyable.  I think this rod will excel on small waters like the Grande Ronde, Methow or smaller coastal streams where you have to get inventive with your casts.  On a negative note, the line I had it paired with is tough to long line nymph and stack mend.  You need something with a rear taper to allow you to mend properly.  I found the action on this rod to be medium fast and I am sorry I'm going to have to let it go.

For a spey jedi's take on these rods, take a peek at Chou Dog's review here.

Mulah Factor

While I am a big proponent of buying locally, there are situations where it just doesn't work.  These rods retail for $350.   You're getting a big bang for your buck in my opinion

Remaining Questions??

What's it feel like to fight a fish on these sticks?   I wasn't graced with that opportunity...yet

The action of the spey rod seems like its made for skagit heads.  What's it like with a scandi set up?

I am terribly tough on gear.  What's it like to send a rod a rod back for repair?

Bonus Factor

When someone in fishing camp goes all classy on you and buys something other than Rainer or PBR and has non twist off top, how many times have you struggled to find a bottle opener.  Well, Red Truck Diesel Rods have you covered.

Overall, these sticks are a nice value for the dollar.  I would be happy to add them to my lineup but alas they are going back to their home soon.  Take some time to do your own homework before you pull the trigger. 

What kind of caster are you?

What are you hoping the rod will do?

Does the rod fit the rivers you're hoping to fish?

So on and so forth.  

Take a gander at their site, Red Truck Fly Rods and fish happy!

  

There's fishy dudes, and then there's....

OLD MAN RIVER.

There aren't many times when he goes out that he doesn't snake charm a steelhead onto his line.  Right after I lost a monster that took me farther into my backing than I have ever been on a spey rod, Dad lassos this beast of a 2 salt hen yesterday.  .

Atta boy Dad....