Watch this!

I have always loved to watch guide Mike Kirkpatrick's films from NZ on YouTube and he has another great one "Fly Fishing Freedon (Large Browns in NZ) just released. The film is just over an hour and shows him and Hans catching browns from 7 to 10 lbs in a majestic valley, just to watch them cast 12 to 18' leaders with accuracy and then fight those fish is just magic. Watch how they control the fish with the angle of their rods in respect to the fish and where they want them to go, remember where the head goes so does the body. Now I'm not suggesting that we have fish that large here but it sure helps learning how to control fish even in our part of the contry. The line he says in the film really hits home, "fight them hard to release them hard" is well said. A great tip of the hat to the Spring Creek Chapter of TU for making their monthly meeting virual and available to everyone, good content and informative subjects. Also noted is IFF for making all their content on line available to even nonmembers, their last session on Iceland was just wonderful, give them both a try and you'll be kept up to date. Loon also has some really good videos available as does Simms. Patagonia has a ton but most are not related to fly fishing but still better than cable TV. Still tying a ton of flies and looking where to give them away, any ideas where we can help out those in need would be welcomed.

New items of interest

A few years ago I got an item from Patagonia that was designed for kyak people, it was a heavy fleece top that had midweight fleece below the waste and a heavy fleece on the top with midweight sleeves, it was really easy to tuck it into your waders and not look like you were a fat shit. Patagonia only had it for one season and gone, my buddy wanted me to sell it to him but no thanks was my answer, I use it all winter and in the cold fall days. Well Simms now has something close " Simms Exstream Bicomp Hoddy" not quite the same as Patagonia but looks as if it will work just fine, not cheap at $200.00 but it will keep you warm without looking like the Michilan man! Another great find is "Anadromous Fly Company".com these guys have a great selection of scissors and bobbins for fly tying at great prices, I got a bunch and am happy with the quality, not thant you might find a few slight flaws in the finish but the overall quailty to good. Scissors work just fina as do their glass insert bobbins. The ony problem so far has bee the stinking USPS delevery time sucks but ti does with everyone else but Amazon. Go fish soon!

Did you ever understand?

The other day I was at Spring Creek getting ready to fish when some idiot walked up and started to talk about how cold it is, gees as if I didn't know. He said that he just could not take the cold anymore, he was out most of the morning. His car was parked near mine and he started to get his gear off and when he took his waders off he started to complain about being cold, well the wonder of it all the dumb ass had blue jeans on under his waders. Anyone who ventures out in the colder months of the year has to understand that you never wear any thing cotton under your waders, they hold in moisture and make you colder with it near your skin. You need to wear a layer or two of good quality long underwear, Patagonia or Simms has them in lightweight, midweight or heavyweight, I use two layers one of lightweight and one of heavyweight under my waders and the same with my socks, I also go up one shoe size to give my feet some room to develope heat. I see this behavior time and time again. This dude had some nice equipment and a good rod and reel so why the dumb idea not to be smart about what to wear. The fishing was slow and deep, scuds and very small PT's were the order of the day, no midges or olives made the present felt!