Recent comments

Oldest, tackiest and crappiest gear

Hi Martin,
I have heard stories that there is a tendency amongst some New Zealand locals to fish with less than trendy gear. They take great pride in catching trout with the oldest, tackiest and crappiest gear they can find and do very well too I am told. They focus on the fishing rather than the peripherals like rods, reels and brands. A fly fishing counter culture for the disenchanted. Call it "Punk Fly Fishing" if you will. Now, where are my safety pins?
Regards Jason.

Reality is harsh, isn't it?

Jason,

Reality is harsh, isn't it?

I have met many anglers in my time who looked like *beep* and outfished me severely!

I recall one guy that I met on the coast a few years back: neoprenes, a red jacket, a rod consisting of sections from two different rods (true!) and a trucker cap in severe need for an oil change...

I thought little of him--actually felt a little sorry for him--until later when I met him on the beach carrying two nice, bright sea trout, which he had kept out of the eight that he had hooked. Needless to say that I hadn't had a single tug--in spite of being dressed and equipped like a combination of a men's fashion magazine and a brand name catalog!

So it goes...

Martin

Nice one Martin

Nice one Martin. I know a few fashion tragics who do tend to out fish the rest of us... but look so bad doing it.

Very cool article

:-D

Very cool article!

There is a new lodge

There is a new lodge in the area, the Grand Slam Fly Fishing Lodge, I was there in November. Spectacular. They are offering a 2 x 1 special this Summer and, I have heard, your fishing package is free if you're able to get a Grand Slam during your stay; accommodation free if you get a Super Grand Slam. Tempting.
The area is a paradise not only for fishing but it is wilderness at its best, dolphins, crocs, flamengos... It is really a place out of the beaten path where to take tour wife and even your teens, specially if you have a jacuzzi waiting for you when you return to the room... like at the Grand Slam Fly Fishing Lodge.
By the way, now they have Bobby "Jack" Settles, former Casa Blanca GM, managing the operation, plus a great combination of guides, definitely, they make the difference. I tried to fish by my own and just got a couple of barracudas. With a great guide next day I caught two permits, one tarpon and one bonefish. My experience was rewarding. I am planning to go back this fall, they say fish is more abundant, maybe I get the GS this time! But instead of driving by that killing road again, I think I am going to take the boat at the Arch after Tulum.

Grab your drab

Grab your drab, and your impossibly expensive gear... there's a trout to catch! :)

Good one Martin

good one Martin, are we getting a little stir crazy :). Personally myself I always went to the river to fish not a fashion show. :) Hope spring gets here quick...er

Style is everything!

Style is everything! Style is everything! Style is everything! :-)))

Patina is essential

Mike,

I can only agree that patina is essential. I have met anglers who will add dirt to jackets, waders and even cork handles on new rods before using them for the first time! This only supports my thesis: style is everything!

Martin

Having lots of gear

Having lots of gear and/or wearing cool clothes, in my book doesn't quality anyone to be a fly fisher. Check the recent Sports Illustrated swimsuit model casting flies in BC. Can't cast, can't hold a rod but looks damn good. Flyfisher? Not even close.

"Patina" is the term to strive for. Well, worn, broken in and aged. Dido for that fly box. One that is too organized is one that is not fished with. Boots should be muddy, grip on the rod-dirty, dings in the reel, cap that looks run over, now you are getting close.

The "LL Orvis" ( a combo of LL Bean and Orvis) doesn't impress me much, just means you know which end of the magnetic strip to use on the Amex gold card. All those pretty boxes with paint are way too nice for the river.

Sort of like the kid in school with new jeans or new shoes. They generally got a boatload of crap about that.

I know what you mean

I know what you mean. As you say it is mostly cosmetic although if the loose coil gets frayed it could eventually start unravelling.

Try being more uniform when forming the loops and also apply a fraction more tension when winding.

AWESOME! I'm going

AWESOME! I'm going next Thursday (Mar 24) I've heard a lot about it, and I have high expectations,
hoping to find some brookies and cutts as well as the plentiful rainbows and browns willing to take a "painstakingly" hand-tied streamer,nymph,wet spider,or dry.
Seeing as I've only got two years left to fish here I,ve been preparing for it for months.
Any productive patterns for here would be greatly appreciated.
Hoping to submit some pictures worthy of consideration for the lunker board,
Bennett

i have one problem i

i have one problem in making furled leaders. After i twist each of the two halves of the leader they are very tight and smooth. when i twist them together i often find little single strand loops at the point where the three loop line ties into the five loop line and the one loop ties into the three loop. It does not affect the line but is unsightly and would like to know how to eliminate this problem. thanks

Pleased to meet you

Pleased to meet you Chris. I'm Stefano and writing to you from Italy. Just met your creations (I mean the sunlight shrimp and Mirror shrimp) on "Fly Patterns" web. Simply wonderful!!!. So I would like to buy few of them. While waiting for your answer, I wish to you a good day.
Best regards. Stefano

Beware the Ides of...

March Madness...
'Sprung forward and the first herring scout sightings have been reported...
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and to celebrate the Vernal Equinox, here's my Daddy Long Legz Deer Tic Lyme Disease Crab...
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and some "Bunker Therapy"...
my personal favourite "old school" style kind'a technical pattern... a lot goin' on...
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and, phinally, some Phly Welding...
Smelt and/or Cateland insinuendo d' Canada...
schmeckt gut!...
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Mike Martinek you ha

Mike Martinek you have done yourself proud. What a fine tribute this is !

That is absolutely t

That is absolutely the most life like fly I've seen. Excellent job!!!!

Ten Feather Emerald Shiner

Man, that is an awsome fly!

Nice Tail, that fish

Nice Tail, that fish should be as a torpedo!

Peter,

I have a f

Peter,

I have a friend who used to design rods, and he will tell anybody who listens that angling the handle away from perpendicular to the line is a surefire way to stress any rod beyond its capabilities, even 10 and 12 weight rods. Sometimes you may have to do that to steer the fish away from rocks, logs not to mention boat sterns and propellers -- and it's exactly in these situations that you hear the infamous "crack". Notice BTW that the rod often breaks in several places (I think yours did too, didn't it?).

Hope that it at least gave you an excuse to buy a new and even better rod! ;-)

Martin

Hi Martin - Glad you

Hi Martin - Glad you liked it. Yes, the rod was bound to break, but in that particular environment it is the only way to fight the fish, I just had the wrong rod. If that fish finished the run it was on, it would have been around the jetty and gone. On that day, I brought a knife to a gun fight.

I have attempted to

I have attempted to make a usable fly tying table; there was always something 'missing' The table described
here appears to have a place for 'everything'. So am going to try to build one similar to the one described here.

A nice mix of post m

A nice mix of post modern culture and traditional fly fishing. Fish with bamboo roods is the most fascinant experience in fly fishing for old and young anglers. Congratulations!!

Hi Jeen. I am please

Hi Jeen. I am pleased to hear, that you have had good results with the Fluff, which is also a very efficient fly for seatrout.

The blend of dubbing is very simple: I use four kinds of the material "STF" - Synthetic Translucent Fibre. The colors are Tan, Light Olive, Gray Olive and Olive - only half amount of Olive, because it will dominate, if you use too much.

Then I add a little sparkle - for instance gold and green (only a tiny bit), and I blend the dubbing with my fingers. And done..!

Kind regards Per