Michael Phillippe
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It depends on where you are fishing. In tailwaters – the Delaware, Missouri – that don’t have a lot of underwater debris I use an SA 15′ sink tip. (I’m sure brand is irrelevant.) I think it gets the big Gallup flies down faster and helps them track along the bottom for the first few strips. For most Western rivers I use a floating line to save those $5 streamers from the underwater forest if it’s like the Bitterroot, but go back to the sink tip for deep holes. I think its just like nymphing – you must get the fly down in front of big fish.
Thanks, John. It is a great shot – taken by Bart Larmouth who is manager of the Delaware River Club in Hancock, NY. We were waiting on a hatch that never happened.
I’ve finally connected with the running the exam in my area. He’s offered to give me a dry run and see where I stand. If nothing else this will get me out of my lazy casting habits. (Joan Wulff would be screaming at me these days!)
Zach,
Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about the 5 wt versus the 7 wt thing. In fact, I don’t even own a 7 wt. I have a closet full of 4’s, 5’s and 6’s but 75 feet accurately is not easy – nor is a 50 ft roll cast. I try it (with random success) on the Delaware all the time. And as you say, the pressure of the test will certainly impact form and accuracy.
Thanks for the advice.
I’ve been wearing Mountain Khaki Granite Creek pants now for about three years. They dry really quickly and have lots of pockets – even zippered ones for car keys!
Brian – I cheat! I adopt field trial Labs that are past prime time and come completely trained for free. All I have to do is train them how to fish! I’ve got that part down, but Cruise refuses to row.
In the boat Cruise is fine. Wading she stays about 2 feet from my left leg. This is great unless I get in a bit too deep. But given what age has done to my wading ability/stability, when she starts swimming I know I’m in too deep.
The Big Hole in April for Skwala’s is awesome! And the upper Big Hole above Melrose is still the last best place.
I have a friend who owns a kennel for Ryman setters. They point woodcock and grouse very well, so I’m betting your setter pup will do fine. I don’t hunt woodcock myself as I don’t like the taste, and I’m told that a lot of dogs won’t retrieve them because of the smell/taste.
Folks up north here love to hunt them since the hold so well for a pointing dog versus a grouse or pheasant.
I learned about Moscow Mules at the bar in Melrose, MT. They have cups made from copper mined down the road in Butte. Fortunately you can walk across the parking lot to the Sportsman’s Motel!
Matt – You can buy the cups online. My wife gave me a set last summer.
And Zach, I’m still jealous that *you* didn’t send my hat until *after* I got back from the Henry’s Fork! Nice pics and cool that you got to meet Rene on the stream.
Neal, How much does one have to drink to muster the cajones to fish something called an ‘electric chicken’?!
I’m 2 hours from the upper Delaware (2 1/2 pulling my boat). And my PA spring creek is about 90 seconds away.
First, I’m jealous because I didn’t have my hat when I was on the Henry’s Fork in August. And second, I’m even more jealous because that fish is twice the size of anything I landed on The Ranch.
Zach, I arrived home yesterday from a 6700 mile (fishing) trip through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Colorado and all the crap between here and there, to find my hat. It’s great! Too bad Simms didn’t get them to us sooner – I would have had some great photos.
I will probably back up about 150 GB of files. Dropbox is cool for short trips but I’m looking for a longer term solution.
