Unaccomplished Angler

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Merry Christmas from the Yakima River

The rare, respectable fish of the Yakima River.

August 20, 2013 / / 13 Comments

Depending on whom is queried, the Yakima River is either a diamond or a chunk of coal. Suffice it to say she has never particularly kind to me.

Merry Christmas from the Yakima River

It wasn’t always that way, mind you. In fact she lured me in with false sense of hope several years ago the first time I fished her. On this fateful day I landed a nice 16″ rainbow in a well-known foam line just below the bridge at Umtanum. Within minutes my buddy Jimmy landed a similarly-sized bow in nearly the same spot. We both naively believed that the river would be this easy—this good to us every time. And thus began my love/hate relationship with the Yakima.

I love the Yakima. There are 20+ inch fish in the river. I was witness when my buddy Marck landed a large rainbow a couple of years ago. I was behind the camera, which is where I always am when a big fish is in the picture. As far as I am concerned, that fish of Marck’s was the stuff legends are made of. I myself caught a nice fish about 8 years ago: it wanted desperately to be 20 inches, but I think it fell short of that mark by an inch or so. Our guide on that trip, Johnny Boitano, even got excited when that fish was hooked and landed. But I’ve not come close to a Yakima fish that size since.

Marck’s epic fish.

A long ago and rare angling accomplishment.

Most of the time I catch 10-12 inch fish. Well, that’s not entirely true—most of the time I catch nothing. A 10 inch fish on this river doesn’t excite me, although it’s certainly better than the all-too-common skunk. Not that I’m a big fish snob, mind you. Au contraire. But when there are much bigger fish in a river touted to be a blue ribbon trout stream, a 10 inch trout seems like a yellow participant’s ribbon.

I hate the Yakima. 2 weeks ago, Jimmy and Morris and I fished 15 miles of the Lower Yakima Canyon and I didn’t hook a single fish. Jimmy landed one 12 incher and Morris fared slightly better in the numbers department, catching 3 fish but nothing bigger than 10-12 inches. I’ve been skunked more times on this river than I care to remember. But I keep going back.

I can’t quit the Yakima. A week ago my brother Hal and I fished with Derek Young of Emerging Rivers Guide Services. We floated an upper section of the river from Cle Elum to Bristol. Hal won out as far as quantity, catching 3 respectable fish in the 10-12 inch range as well as a handful of disrespectful fish of considerably less length.

One of Hal’s many disrespectable troutletts.

By late afternoon I had about given up all hope of catching a fish. The day had been tough, what with a plummeting barometer putting the fish down. Even a dropping river couldn’t turn on the bite as our streamers were ignored all morning long. After lunch we opted for some dry fly fishing and even that didn’t rise any fish for me except for a diminutive troutling that even a sculpin would have called an appetizer.  From the Rear Admiral position in the back of the boat I watched a crane fly skitter across the river toward the grassy bank, just a few feet below where my fly was drifting. Suddenly a very large fish (undoubtedly 20+ inches) rolled on the crane fly. Had my synthetic imitation gotten there first I’m sure the fish would have taken my fly balked and waited for the real deal. It’s just how things roll for me. A short while later, about the time the pity party was getting into full swing, the threat of a skunk was eliminated as I landed a nice 16 inch Westslope Cutt. Not a hog by Yakima standards, but it was the best fish I’ve landed on that river in an awful long time. Derek was relieved because he knew his tip was in jeopardy of smelling as bad as a skunk had yours truly come up empty-handed.

A skunk-ending Yakima Westslope.

After the day with Derek and Hal I headed back to the Yakima 3 days later to float with the Brothers Albacore. We opted for the same float that I had fished earlier in the week, and my intent was to catch the crane fly-eating hog and hold bragging rights for years to come. The weather had been stable for 4 days in a row and the river continued to drop. There was cloud cover. It held great promise of a big fish day.  Well, I can tell you that if the 10 inch rainbow taken on a dry and the 11 inch chubby Westslope cutthroat that I pulled out from under some woody debris on a streamer are big fish, then I was accomplished. Everyone caught at least a couple of smallish fish, but at the end of the day if you were to ask the Brothers Albacore their thoughts on the Yakima they’d say, “At least the beer was good.”

Chubby 11 incher.

Depending on who you asked.

The Brothers Albacore: Team PBR

 

What’s in a hat?

August 6, 2013 / / 13 Comments

A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status. In the military, they may denote nationality, branch of service, rank and/or . regiment. —Wikipedia, your online hat expert

We angling types like hats. I myself have mentioned several times and even written fairly extensively about the Lucky Fishing Hat. MY Lucky Fishing Hat, that is. After all this is my blog so I wouldn’t very well write about YOUR lucky fishing hat. But I digress. Most anglers tend toward ball cap style hats, with the standard issue bill out front and nothing on the sides (to protect your ears) nor the back (to protect your neck). This style of hat almost seems to be the requisite uniform of the angler, and I admit that I wear this style of hat when I’m off the water.

I have more of these hats from various fly fishing related entities than I can wear in a lifetime. I’m not partial to one particular hat though I do like some of them better than others for personal reasons: Take for example, The Emerging Rivers Guide Services hat that I have. I wear it quite a bit because it’s a super-sweet logo (shameless self promotion) and owner Derek Young is a good buddy. I also have a tattered old, sweat-stained Reel Pure hat that also sports an uber-cool design (I wish I could take credit for it). There’s something about this hat that just makes it so easy to wear. It’s like a pair of well-worn underpants—you hardly know it’s there. These two are pretty much my every day, go-to lids except when I have important client meetings, in which case I go commando don’t wear a hat.

But I digress, again.  The point of this is really to announce that after years of the people demanding it I’m finally going to be offering a limited supply of Unaccomplished Angler hats. I took an informal poll on the Unaccomplished Angler Facebook page and it was pert near a dead even split between those who wanted a trucker style hat and those who preferred a solid twill version. I was able to find a supplier to make up some nice woven patches (instead of direct embroidery, which can’t handle fine design details) and affix them to a choice of either style hat. Lucky you, to have such choices!

The hats haven’t arrived yet, but when they do you can be sure you’ll hear about it.  You’ll want to reserve yours fast though, because as I said quantities are very limited. And I’m reserving one of each for myself because they’re sure to become my favorites.

Stay tuned.

Please note that either style comes with a pre-formed bill (no flat billed hats. Those are stupid looking). If you want to pre-order one of these fine-looking Unaccomplished Angler hats, send an email to Unaccomplished Angler (at) gmail (dot) com.

 

Old One-Eye

Guest Post: The debacle on the Yakima River

July 23, 2013 / / 6 Comments

This week’s drivel is a mostly-unedited guest post by none other than Morris, the 2012 Firehole Rookie Ranger. He has an unhealthy obsession with fly fishing that I’ve had the pleasure of watching intensify over the last year or so. We writes good, and has no oconcern for character count so sit back and enjoy a bowl of popcorn and a read about a day on the Yakima River befitting an Unaccomplished Angler.

Prologue

When the Unaccomplished Angler asked me to write a post about my debacle on the Yakima River, first I was like no chance in hell, then I thought why not – If the UA can do it, then so can I. Although, sometimes it feels like I only have a fourth grade education when it comes to writing the English language as I have lost almost all what my elementary teachers taught me, but as both UA and myself graduated from one of the top universities in the country Eastern Washington, I was convinced I could do it – really, how hard can it be. Not to mention, I am a published author in my own right. Recently, I was forced extremely happy to submit an article to a widely read industry magazine – Quality something. Don’t be fooled, a handful of nuclear power plant operators actually read this magazine or at a minimum leave it on their desk to appear intelligent – at least this is what I typically do. (By the way, I promise to stop striking out phases, but I just love the way the UA does it to confuse the reader).

 

The beginning

It all started as I walked through the sliding glass doors at work Friday morning 8:00 AM sharp. I was wearing my favorite Simms fishing shirt and donning my polarized fishing glasses. I happen to work for a fine company that requires employees like myself to merely show up  to get paid for the day. As I grind the way to my desk, I start to contemplate just how long I have to sit there as I mentally go through my fishing check list ensuring nothing has been forgotten. Promptly at 8:30 AM, I find myself creating a web of lies to our administrative assistant who guards the front door like a Doberman and probably logs our time in and out. “I have an outside appointment today, but plan to return after lunch,” I lie. She does not buy into my dishonesty, and probably knows the car is packed with my fishing gear as it is most Fridays. In hindsight I should have left my shirt and glasses in the car, and I was a tad too enthusiastic for the mundane appointment, but I was getting that goin’ fishin’ feeling and that was all I could think about.

As I pull into the empty parking lot at 10:00 AM to a not so secret fishing spot Marck recommended on the upper Yakima Canyon. I believe Marck is his secret UA alias; this is not his real name. I know this since I fish regularly with Marck and have known him since middle school. As I string up my rod, I am gracious that life affords me sunny Fridays on the Yakima, flows around 3100cfs, time to explore nature, and attempts to master the art of catching large trout. Selecting my old 5 weight Sage, large dry with a lightening bug dropper, I am set.

Part I: The miss

As I cautiously approach a large fallen tree in the river, I am eager to see what lies below. Now on top of the tree, flunking weak casts at my feet. I should have previously declared that I am strung up with 9’ of 5X leader, 3’ of 5X flora, and 2’ dropper: all making log casting to ones feet a challenge. With too much line in the water and a poor rod to water angle, a large rainbow grabs the dry while launching completely out of the water where I probably could have bear-hugged him if I was more nimble. As I attempt to set the hook, it is obvious my approach was flawed. The hog spits my bug and is gone. As I regain my composure, I say to myself, “not a great way to start the day, but it can only get better from here.”

Part II: The poison

As I leave the large log for a stretch up river where I will have more room to cast, I decide to hightail it through the brush and grass and not follow the slow shore of the river. This will turn out to be the infamous “fork in the road’ decision that will affect the rest of my day. As I trudge through very high grass and weeds and other unknown plant species, I get disoriented and somewhat lost. As my pace quickens, I trip and fall to the ground a few times and eventually make my way back to the river. After fishing for a bit, I notice some pretty large blisters forming on my arms and legs. I ignore them and get back in search of my next victim which I am sure not to miss. As the morning meanders on the itching and swelling continues to be a nuisance. But it wasn’t until my eye started to swell shut that I started to ponder calling it a day. I tried feebly to continue casting, but as the discomfort grew so did my anxiety. Fishing alone has its advantage and disadvantages as we all know, but when I used the camera on my phone to take a picture to see how bad my eye was, I knew having a friend there to tell me all is well or not so well would have been nice. As my casting deteriorated further and grew impossible with one eye, I decided to seek safety.

Old One-Eye

Part III: The scared girl

I scurried back to the parking lot so I could use the car mirror to inspect my eye and make the ultimate decision of fish or hospital. Again to save time, I head back into the tall unforgiving grass. As I broke free from the brush in delight, I happen upon a pretty college aged lady sunbathing near a small tributary in nothing but a slight bikini. Instead of staring at her girl parts and making stupid old man commentary, I hastily shoved my left eye in her face and asked if it looks ok. She nods, but I sensed she was uncomfortable and not really into my whole eye issue.

Part IV: New location

After a thorough eye exam in the dirty side mirror of my car with the one good eye remaining, I decide to fish on. Playing it safe though, I decide to drive further down river into the canyon where there is less vegetation. After a few small fish during the heat of the day, everything is starting to feel better up to the point when I find myself on a large rock in the river and in need of a new fly. Instead of heading to shore like a wise person would, I commence with the fly change. Opening my dry bag I forget to notice all of my belonging as I dig for the fly box. As I precariously balanced on the rock with a red deep rash all over and one good eye, needless to say I ended up face down in the river. As I came to my feet I noticed the dry bag was still open and filled to the top with water. Luckily nothing had vanished to the river and the only real damage was to the iPhone and luckier still, it was a work phone.

Part V: Early departure / Good Samaritan

As evening approached with anticipation of the late hatch, I sat quietly by the riverside pondering the day’s events. This time, I was approached by a weary traveler in search of some help. After some pleasantries, he asked if he could borrow my phone to call for help. After explaining to him the difficulties there, I offered up a ride to town where he could find some real help. Before I could recant my offer as my mind turned back to the hatch, he accepts and I hastily depart for town. I thought that perhaps being a good Samaritan might put me back in grace with whatever force I upset this morning. Now missing the evening bug fest along with my hope of redemption, my one-eyed-drive back to Seattle was uneventful. Until I arrived at home and realized that in my hurried blurry departure I did not shore up my tackle and badly damaged my favorite Ross reel.

Final act

By the next morning I had fixed my reel and most of the rash and swelling were gone yet my legs where still covered with scrapes and bruises one typically finds after a hard day on the river. Looking back now I realize that not every fishing trip is going to the perfect experience but it is still and will forever be better than a day at work.

And the Ugliest Fly Rod is…

July 3, 2013 / / 17 Comments

In the fly fishing industry we have manufacturers of all manner of gear, each constantly striving to invent or reinvent that one product that will attract the attention of the masses and become a huge success. And of all the gear offered it seems as though rods garner the most attention, and every year new rods are rolled-out, and the public is told that they need to buy the latest offering.

And I’ll admit, sometimes these new rods sound almost too good to be true. And each new generation results in thinner, lighter, faster (or, lately, slower), more sensitive sticks that nearly cast themselves. But sometimes these new offerings are met with resistance from a segment of the audience for which they’re intended to appeal. On one occasion it may just be a poor color choice that draws groans from the marketplace, or the wrong style of grip. Sometimes the price turns customers away. Other times everything is acceptable but the name. It’s a very tough crowd out there. You can’t please all of the people all of the time.

Or, can you?

I’ve been giving this matter some serious thought and believe that the solution may be as simple as issuing forth a challenge to the industry: a call to arms for all players to design and produce the ugliest fly rod possible. Cosmetically, that is. The rod must otherwise be a fully functional, high-quality rod with a price tag of no more than $350.

This endeavor will be a dream come true for the design teams. The marketing departments may even forego pay to work on their campaign strategies. The press will eat it up. And the customers will wait with baited breath to see the results of the challenge.

Just how ugly will these rods be? They’ll be algebra ugly: so ugly that they’ll be things of beauty, with results can be nothing but positive. These rods will be like the homely, homeless puppy: so unsightly that everyone will want to take one home if not out of shear pity then to annoy others and be able to say, “My rod is uglier than your rod.” And given that brand loyalty runs rampant in the industry there’ll be something for just about everyone—any manufacturer that doesn’t participate may not survive to regret it.

Here, in no particular order, are just a few possible names of potential ugly rods to help get the lathes turning:

 

• Sage DONE: First they brought us The ONE, now The DONE. One and done. Maybe not the result they’re hoping for but then again everyone is always in search of a good marketing schtick.

• Orvis Fireball: The current Helios is named for the Greek word for Sun, which is essentially nothing more than a large ball of fire. Orvis has long-sought to shake the perception that they are the high-brow manufacturer of your grandfather’s fly rod. Think of the cross-marketing possibilities with the maker of Fireball whiskey? Nobody who wears tweed drinks Fireball.

• Winston Moron: This one was just too easy.

• Loomis Armored Transport: This baby will be bulletproof, heavy and will cost a truckload of money. And Loomis will pick up vast numbers of unintentional visitors to their website who came looking for something completely unrelated and wound up with a new fly rod.

 

• Echo Echo: After all, what does an echo do? It repeats itself. Besides the other rhyming word, Gecko, is already in use. Do not hate on the Echo Gecko.

• Redington Verktyg: This is the Swedish translation for “tool” which could be either a reference to the rod or the caster. Wonder what color the grip will be?
(Alternate name: Redington Stepchild)

 • Scott Baio: It’s inevitable that this rod will quickly be nicknamed “The Chachi” and the rod will be popular with the ladies who were teenage girls during the Happy Days era. Not so much with the guys, however. More and more women-specific gear is being offered; there’s no reason the ladies shouldn’t have ugly stuff as well.

• St. Croix, Batman: Unless you habla French you probably didn’t realize that St. Croix translates to English as, “Holy Cross.” And anyone familiar with the old Batman TV series from the 60’s will recall the Boy Wonder’s tendency toward enthusiastic proclamations such as, “Holy priceless collection of Etruscan snoods, Batman!” Get it?

• Allen Handsome: Not only is this name redundant (because the meaning of the name “Allen” is, in fact, “Handsome”) but given the nature of this ugly rod contest, it’s also an oxymoron. Seems rather fitting for a
butt-ugly rod, right?

• Loop Not: This is an exceptionally clever play on words that should be self explanatory. If not, then you’re either a bit slow or it wasn’t nearly so exceptionally clever.

• TFO LOL: FYI

The challenge has been issued. Who will be the first to throw down the gauntlet? I hope the industry is listening—it’s time to get your ugly on.

Don’t reach for the Sky

June 19, 2013 / / 10 Comments

WA—The town of Index is said to have a population of 180. On Wednesday June 12th the population seemed to have temporarily doubled, or came dam close to doing so. It was on this date that I attended a meeting in the Index Fire Hall to hear citizen comments with regard to a proposed dam on the South Fork of the Skykomish River. The result was standing room only inside and outside of the Fire Hall.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was on hand to hear public comments on the scope of the project which is being proposed by the Snohomish County PUD. The project is listed as the Sunset Fish Passage and Energy Project #14295-00.

Before we go any further I’ll issue this disclaimer: I am not a member of the press. My job (which is really not a job at all) is not to report objectively on this project.  I am here to give you a very nutshell description of the project as I understand it, and to state my opposition because this is my blog and I am opposed to this dam project. So there.

If you want to read an unbiased article about the proposed project, I recommend this article from the Monroe Monitor, March 12. 2013: Dam: Environmental Boon or Bust? Here’s another article from the Everett Herald, June 15, 2013: But many factors will be weighed in considering a proposed mini-dam.

For me personally, here are the arguments I use in my opposition of the project:

1. First off, this proposed dam is not a concrete hydroelectric structure. It is an inflatable diversion weir that would redirect water into a large intake chamber where the water would then plummet some 2000+ feet to a power generating plant below Sunset Falls. This weir will not function 12 months of the year. In fact it will be taken offline when natural river flows are at their lowest, from July-October. It seems to me that a source for generating power should be able to meet the peak demands for electricity. In this case the it seems that the highest demands would be when customers are using air conditioners/heat pumps during the hottest months of the year (July, August and September).  I don’t pretend to know much, but something seems amiss here.

2. The water intake chamber would be a 19 foot diameter tunnel, over 2000 feet in length, that will be blasted through the granite bedrock. The potential for geological problems with this is not insignificant— naturally occurring levels of arsenic in the rock could be released into the river. Index lies within a region that has the potential for significant seismic events—think BIG earthquakes. Once blasted you cannot convince me that the structural integrity of the bedrock will not have been compromised.

3. Sunset Falls is a migratory fish barrier. Salmon returning to spawn can go no further than the base of the falls so they spawn in the gravel below the falls. Messing with the flows over the falls at all will affect the salmon redds. Redirecting the natural flow of the water will change the makeup of the stream bed.  It can’t not have an impact on the fish that spawn there. Oh, and the upper Sky is also a stronghold for the endangered bull trout, FYI.

4. Cost estimates are $110 million to $170 million for this project that will only generate power for about 10,000 homes. That’s a chunk of change right there for a power source that is not sustainable. Al Gore’s Global Warming Climate change is affecting the annual snowpack. We don’t know what the future holds for that. I believe the PUD needs to explore other means of sustainable energy production: solar, nuclear—I don’t know. But I know this dam is a bad idea.

And if by chance I am off the mark in any or all of my assertions listed above, here is my final argument that nobody can refute:

5. The Skykomish is a beautiful place: a wild and scenic river and one of few un-dammed rivers in the world. Let’s leave it this way. Save the Sky River

Leave this is place alone.

Redington Vapen: a Preview

June 18, 2013 / / 4 Comments

 

Looking down the 9 foot barrel of the Redington Vapen Red.

When you first use the new Redington Vapen make sure you’re in a legal shooting zone because, according to Redington, “You don’t cast this rod, you fire it.” That seems like a rather bold statement and I figured Redington had better have something to back up such talk, so I delved into the matter.

First, let’s start with the name: Vapen?  Sounds like something out of a Star Wars movie. Curious, I did more delving, this time into the origins of the word. As it turns out it’s pronounced ‘Vay•pen’ and it translates to “Weapon” in Swedish. But my real “Ah-Ha!” moment occurred when I imagined a conversation between two feuding Swedes. Work with me here, folks…

 Uff da! The brand new Vapen comes in two models: the standard-issue Vapen with a cork grip; and the Vapen Red, which features Redington’s new PowerGrip. Both models feature an attractive blank using X-Wrap technology. The technical talk is best served up straight from the horse’s mouth:

“X-Wrap Blank Technology effortlessly transforms angler input into powerful casts. When we combined this new technology with PowerGrip, we couldn’t believe the change in power. With every angler who tested the rod, loop geometry got tighter and casts went further,” notes Redington General Manager, David Visnack.  “The word Vapen means weapon, Visnack continues, we quickly realized you don’t cast this rod, you fire it, so Vapen is a perfect name for this weapon! It is the perfect addition to an angler’s arsenal.”

Redington’s new X-Wrap construction method involves wrapping one layer of super-high density carbon ribbon inside the blank and another counter-wrapped on the exterior surface. X-Wrap construction provides surprising power with little effort. The technology is so distinct you will actually see the difference in the blank. Anglers have the option of combining X-Wrap technology with the entirely new PowerGrip or a traditional cork handle, thus having an abundance of options within Redington’s new premium fly rod family.

To create the Vapen Red’s custom unique grip, Redington collaborated with renowned golf club grip company, Winn Grips. Together they developed an advanced polymer grip that won’t slip when wet, feels soft in the hand and reduces fatigue. It also cleans easily, doesn’t chip and helps amplify casting power.

Cork versions of the Vapen series are also available and come with Portuguese premium grade cork for the more traditional angler.”

That’s all fine and dandy, but all that marketing mumbo-jumbo is merely rhetoric for most prospective customers. Real world feedback is all that matters, and while your mileage may differ, here are my thoughts on the Redington Vapen (I was provided a Vapen Red model in a 5-weight to demo).

Not your father’s Oldsmobile

I’ll be the first to admit—the red PowerGrip takes a bit of getting used to, visually. Given the long-standing tradition of using a particular grip material in fly rod construction it’s hard not to gasp when anything other than cork is used. However from a functional standpoint the PowerGrip certainly makes sense. And why not borrow from golf to enhance your fly casting experience? Afterall, Golf and Flyfishing are Kindred Spirits.

Golf technology comes to the aid of the flyfishing industry.

It was a warm day in the upper 70’s with a touch of humidity when I did my lawn casting. I noticed that while my hand did sweat a bit, the grip didn’t feel slippery in my hand thanks to the rubbery texture of the polymer material. And it’s comfortable, too. There’s a cushiony feel to the grip so I can see how hand fatigue may be reduced over the course of a long day casting. Visually it’s the grip that is going to cause folks to either love it or not love it. My son, Schpanky, digs the grip. He loves golf, too so that may say something about his character. I understand why Redington chose red but I’d prefer something a bit more subtle. For old guys like me there’s always the cork option.

Cool, visual texture of the X-Wrap.

The blank is a very cool looking dark gray (almost black) with a slight greenish tint under certain lighting conditions. Red accents are pleasing and sporty. You can see the crossing pattern of the fibers which is a result of the X-Wrap technology. The result is an appearance that looks rough and twisted but is smooth as the windless surfaces of a millpond. In my opinion it’s one of the nicer looking blanks I’ve seen on any rod. The carbon fiber reel seat is also very attractive. The overall appearance of the rod gets a thumbs up from both Schpanky and myself with the caveat that I prefer the look of cork to the red polymer.

Nice looking seat.

 

First thoughts when lawn casting the rod?  Powerful. This thing can throw some line. I happened to be using Rio’s brand new Perception Freshwater line, and it shot through the guides effortlessly. Weighing in at 3.4 ounces, the Vapen feels light in the hand and nimble like nearly all modern graphite rods being produced today. Some rods are lighter than others obviously, and the Vapen is no uber-featherweight, but it’s not going to wear your arm out by any means. It has some flex down to the middle of the blank so it’s no broomschtick, but it is definitely a fast action rod that hits its stride when distance casting. Most of my rods are fast so the Vapen fit my casting stroke nicely. I am not the world’s greatest caster, but I ran out of room in our back yard before I could exhaust the Vapen’s capabilities to shoot fire line. Fore!

So off to the river’s edge I went. I hear tell of some who can cast their entire line, but the best I can seem to manage is 65-70 feet, and even at those distances I am pushing it. Be that what it may, I was able to match that distance with the Vapen and in doing so thought that the 5 weight might really enjoy being over-lined with a 6 weight line—maybe next time. My on-water testing revealed something unexpected: the combination of the Vapen and the Rio line made mending effortless. A quick flick of the rod tip easily put a decent mend in it—the line seemed to be the least sticky flyline I’ve ever used.  Rio says:

“Built with ultra-low stretch ConnectCore Technology, the RIO Perception lines provide pioneering levels of sensitivity for intuitively better cast timing, easier line lift and sharp, precise mends. Lack of stretch also means enhanced detection of subtle takes and significantly reduced reaction time when setting the hook.”

Unfortunately no fish were hooked in the testing, but I did like the line. A lot. I never tend to think too much about the lines I use, but I can honestly say that this line felt great and was a perfect match for the powerful Vapen.

If I were to be in the market for a new rod, would I consider the new Redington Vapen?  Yes, without a doubt. Would I get the traditional cork or the Red model? My old school inclination would be to go with the cork and leave the polymer grip to the younger, hipper crowd. That being said, the polymer grip is very functional. Hmm…

The Vapen (cork grip) will retail for $299 while the Vapen Red (polymer grip) will go for $349. No matter which grip you prefer, you won’t be able to get your hands on either one until the rod becomes available in August.

Redington Vapen Red.

Redington Vapen.

 

BREAKING NEWS: More than a month before the rod is even available, The Vapen Red won the top prize in the fly rod category at the European Fishing Tack;e Exhibition in Vienna, Austria. That’s not a bad way to launch a product.

 

Tip the Big Hole

June 6, 2013 / / 0 Comments

As a friendly gesture you can Tip your Hat (a good thing).

 

As a show of appreciation you can Tip your Waiter (provided they’re deserving of it).

You can also Tip your Boat (generally not a good thing).

Now you can Tip the Big Hole River, and that’s a very good thing.

A fundraiser is being hosted to benefit the Big Hole Watershed Committee.

My buddy Joe Willauer who resides over Evolution Anglers writes:

Introducing the first annual Big Hole Watershed Committee “Tip the Big Hole” fundraising event, June 22nd at the Sunrise Fly Shop in Melrose, MT. For the event every guide on the Big Hole that signs up to participate will be donating their tip from the day to the Big Hole Watershed Committee. These funds will be used to aid in the upkeep and maintenance of the in-stream flow monitoring gages. These gages are routinely used by the fishing and guiding community, and are essential to the river management. Reps from the biggest companies in the industry will have booths set up including Simms, Scott, Winston, Rising Tools as well as Montana FWP and many others. Dinner will be provided to all participating guides and for purchase to anybody who stops by. Donations from everyone on the river that day is encouraged, all you have to do is stop by the Big Hole Watershed Committee booth. All participating guides will also get a gift bag, event t-shirt, free beer and entered into a raffle. If you are in the Melrose area, make sure to come by and see what’s going on, grab a mule at the hitching post, and help give back to the Big Hole River and the Big Hole Watershed Committee.

Keep checking back here and the Facebook event page for more info as the date gets closer.

WHEN: June 22, 3-7p.m.
WHERE: Sunrise Fly Shop.  Melrose, MT
WHO:  Guides will be donating their tips, but everybody is invited to show up, meet some great people and enjoy the BBQ and festivities and help contribute to the Big Hole River.
WHY: To raise money for the Big Hole Watershed Committee to support the USGS river gages
MORE INFO:  http://bhwc.org/events/tip-the-big-hole/ or email me: joe (at) evoanglers (dot) com

Proposed dam site on the Skykomish River

A dam poor idea.

June 6, 2013 / / 2 Comments

Proposed dam site on the Skykomish River

Environmental stewardship seems to be trending in recent years and I’m not referring to #Twitter #trending.  There’s more and more attention being given to habitat protection and restoration for wildlife and fish—more than ever before—as we right the wrongs of the past. So why then, in this day and age where unnecessary dams are being torn down would another be proposed?  Kinda makes you shake your head in disbelief. Kinda makes you outraged with disgust.

The Skykomish River is a jewel of a mountain stream that grows in size as it tumbles toward Puget Sound. It provides pristine spawning grounds for endangered wild steelhead and salmon, as well as bull trout and other native species. It is one of very few remaining undammed rivers in the region/country/world, but that will change if the Snohomish County PUD has anything to say about it.

Well, Andrea Matzke has something to say about it. In fact she leads an organization tasked with opposing this proposed dam. Some of the opponents’ concerns, she writes, include:

  • Extensive destruction of protected salmon and trout habitat would hurt fish populations
  • Reduced instream flows would be dangerously low to salmon and steelhead migrating downstream
  • Generation turbines and tailrace would destroy salmon spawning habitat
  • Highway 2 traffic, already extremely congested at times, would be halted for construction vehicles and equipment for three years.  Businesses relying on Highway 2 traffic concerned for their livelihoods.
  • The economic value doesn’t add up and the power generated would cost 3.5 times the power on the open market
  • SnoPUD’s hydro track record with new hydro is poor – Youngs Creek lost over a million dollars last year and applied to FERC for financial exemption because of the loss, which puts part of the cost of their losses on taxpayers.
  • Power generation curve of the dam project based on river flows is almost exactly the opposite of power demand in Snohomish County
  • The hydro project would only generate at capacity in the spring, when there is a surplus of energy in the Northwest, and demand is at its lowest.
  • With the except of December, project would produce minimal or no power during peak power demand
  • SnoPUD’s recent acquisition of a certificate to sell renewable power to California concerns Washingtonians who don’t want state’s protected resources sold off to our states
  • Homeowners would be forced off their land via eminent domain
  • If a dam is allowed on a State Scenic Waterway and NPCC protected area for such a small amount of power, no river is safe from dams.
  • SnoPUD has misrepresented data and level of opposition to media and FERC

Please take a moment to read the information provided on the Save the Sky River website. There’s an important meeting coming up next week. If you’re local, please attend the meeting.

A not-so-recent photo.

Guest Post: Schpanky, Spawn of the Unaccomplished Angler

June 5, 2013 / / 7 Comments

 

A not-so-recent photo.

Taller and better looking than his old man, Schpanky is also a superior fisherman. But genetics are a powerful force and he cannot escape his breeding: antics from a recent trip to the Yakima River confirm that he is truly my spawn.

I recently turned over my backup 4 weight Sage Launch rod and Orvis Battenkill Mid Arbor reel to the boy. I’m not overly attached to any of my gear—it’s all replaceable. Therefore the backup gear cannot be considered something to which I have any great emotional attachment. I am, however, rather cheap and would hate to have to spend money to replace gear if, perhaps, said gear were lost…

Schpanky writes (unedited):

SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/kirk/Library/Mail%20Downloads/Log%20jam.docx

Due to my inconsistent work schedule or two random weekdays off, it’s not very often I get the chance to get out of Town and do something, but if I get the opportunity, I will. Gil, a buddy of mine, texted me asking if I wanted to go fish in Cle Elum with him on a Wednesday (luckily, one of my days off.)

The next morning we headed to Easton from North Bend for an afternoon on the river before Gil left for his summer fish guiding job in Alaska. The river was looking good for being a little high. Clear water and a handful of fishy lookin’ holes, what more could a wannabe fish bum want? Geared up and ready to go, we broke the seal from dry to wet as we waded in the river discussing our game plan and securing our feet in the current. The rust chipped off as I did a few warm up casts and proceeded to snag a tree branch like it was a tradition. I waded out to about my waist fishing a particular spot just above a log jam with some swift water moving through it. Like a scene from a movie, I had a flashback to me as a much younger boy, listening to my father describing the dangers of getting caught in a log jam, and how you could possibly not walk away from it. I had never had any trouble like that before so I thought nothing of it.

A few casts later I felt a tug on my line and instinctively set the hook. Could it be? Was an overly excited and loud “FISH ON!” to be heard echoing throughout the woods this early on in the day? Of course not, just a snag. It wasn’t coming loose and I could wade to it to save the flies so I proceeded to do so. I moved down river and was able to knock the log loose I was snagged on with my foot. However, my flies stayed hooked and floated down river still attached to the rather large log. Due to the fact that the water was moving swiftly where I was, it was hard to walk backwards upriver with the drifting log pulling me down river. Scrambling, hopping and already crying for my mommy, I looked up to see I was slowly being forced to hop down river towards the log jam I earlier spotted. The closer I got to the jam, the deeper and faster the water was getting until finally I felt my feet giving out. I knew right away I wasn’t getting back to shore without getting wet, so at the last second I jumped as far as I could towards the safest part of the log jam (if that exists…?) and hooked the longest log in my elbow. Water was rushing into my waders as I threw my left arm over another log and pulled myself up just enough that I wouldn’t float away when I realized I was missing something. The rod! As if almost getting sucked into a log jam wasn’t enough of a downer way to start the day, loosing your fathers rod that he loves more than you will be free pass to belt lashes. I yelled to Gil to see if he could spot it drifting down river, but it was nowhere in sight. Now standing on top of the log jam, I stripped down to my whitey tighties and drained water out of my waders. Gil and I decided to walk down river in hopes of spotting the rod. I knew we wouldn’t find it with the water being as high as it was and moving so quickly in this area, but hey, at least we could say we tried. We walked back onto a bridge that crosses the river and started to scan the waters for any signs of the rod. Nothing. As we turned away to walk back to the car to dry my clothes off, a pink blur caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I made out a faint lime green line in the river with a pink ball attached to it.

“Gil! There it is, see the strike indicator?” We thought we’d never see the rod again, but there was the fly line and indicator in a reachable spot of the river. Since I wasn’t in my waders, Gil waded out to the fly line and tried to snag it without getting wet. As a last resort, he heroically dunked half his body under and grabbed the rod that was somehow still in one piece and so far had no damage. I jumped with glee and thanked Gil for sacrificing his dry clothing for my fathers’ rod. The log I had snagged drifted about 100 yards down river before it somehow wedged itself between two rocks in the perfect way to stop the rod from drifting off to Narnia where it would never be found again. As a bonus, the flies and line were still attached which I am going to take credit for since I tied perfect lucky knots that held.

Next time I go fishing, I’m bring a quick-inflating boat so I can paddle to safety…or maybe one of these.

 

A little river rash

All joking aside, I’m relieved the boy made it out unscathed as it could have ended badly. His mother would never have forgiven me had he been injured or worse. Thankfully there was no harm, no foul. The previously-spotless reel now has some character wrinkles and a story. Thankfully so does the lad.

And I get the satisfaction of being able to say, “Told ya so.”

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