Okay. What I am about to divulge...you can't share with anyone. This kinda stuff is super top secret and if it ever leaked out...
I will use no names of people or business to protect them...and me.
First, here is a setup video.
Now...
Yours truly and one of my best fishing friends worked together at a certain HUGE box retail outlet that really is more about BASS than trout. We worked in the fly shop which was about as much of an honest to goodness fly shop as a Mini Cooper is an offroad rescue vehicle.
90% of the people who visited this place were not fly fishermen and a good 25% of those who came through the fly shop were there by accident or were looking for powder paint for crappie jigs. We had a LOT of down time, which was nice because it gave us an opportunity to perfect our roll casts, tie an ungodly amount of flies, and on occasion...even fish a little.
Yep...fishin...inside this box retail outlet......in the trout pond.
This particular pond was well stocked with multiple grip-n-grin sized trout. Big browns, bows and brooks. My friend and I worked evenings together and after the store was closed we had our area clean...and a little free time on our hands.
If you ever get the chance to break the hook off of a size 8 mouse pattern and cast it in a large retail outlet trout pond. I highly recommend that you try it. But hang on. These eye candy salmonids only get fed a couple of times a week and the strikes on these hookless mice can be...shall we say...somewhat agressive.
One other interesting comment about this retail trout pond. One friday night the chiller for the water went out and the water temp rose...enough to kick in the spawn. Unbeknownst to the employees, love or something like it found its way to this retail trout pond. Not to long afterwards we started seeing these little schools of fingerlings...but...refering back to the feed them two times a week...the fingerling population dwindled...quickly. Monday we had two or three little pods of fish and by the next monday there were just two or three twitching nervously in the shallowest of trout pond water. And then there were none.
So. If you find yourself employed at a large box retail fishing store that has a trout pond...give it a try...just don't tell them you heard it from me.
3/29/2011
Former Spin Doctor Confesses All!
I was on the Little River Outfitters Forum this morning and there was a post about spin fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with much success.
This got me thinkin'....
How many fish would I have caught in the past few years if I were a die hard spin fisherman?
When it comes to angling, I guess I am a prude. By definition, a prude is "One who is excessively concerned with being or appearing to be proper, modest, or righteous." Guess when it comes to catching fish...I am guilty...and I am okay with that.
I have friends who spin fish on occasion and they are perfectly comfortable in doing so. There was a time when I looked at fly anglers and thought "so much effort for nothing". But now with age and hopefully a modest amount of wisdom, I see that each are fine and each have their place. But I still wouldn't be caught dead with a Mitchell 300a and a rooster tail.
I am okay with being skunked even if the guy right next to me is slaying them with a panther martin. I am just content to sling my bug puppets, dance a little line in the air, and feel the fight on a long rod.
Are there times when it would be far more productive to go to spinning gear? Yes, especially when the big boys are feeding on meaty stuff. But...this is the same reason I don't fish much with streamers. I enjoy small flies with accurate casts. And thus far it has served me well.
Perhaps we all started with a Zebco 202 or a Mitchell 300. And some of us have yet to let it go. But as for me and my house, we will fly. I welcome any spin fisherman to join me on the river. The conversation will be lively and no doubt we will have fun. You might outfish me. Yep I am okay with it...if you don't mind fishing with a prude.
The thread that got this whole thought started can be found here...
http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=91690#post91690
This got me thinkin'....
How many fish would I have caught in the past few years if I were a die hard spin fisherman?
When it comes to angling, I guess I am a prude. By definition, a prude is "One who is excessively concerned with being or appearing to be proper, modest, or righteous." Guess when it comes to catching fish...I am guilty...and I am okay with that.
I have friends who spin fish on occasion and they are perfectly comfortable in doing so. There was a time when I looked at fly anglers and thought "so much effort for nothing". But now with age and hopefully a modest amount of wisdom, I see that each are fine and each have their place. But I still wouldn't be caught dead with a Mitchell 300a and a rooster tail.
I am okay with being skunked even if the guy right next to me is slaying them with a panther martin. I am just content to sling my bug puppets, dance a little line in the air, and feel the fight on a long rod.
Are there times when it would be far more productive to go to spinning gear? Yes, especially when the big boys are feeding on meaty stuff. But...this is the same reason I don't fish much with streamers. I enjoy small flies with accurate casts. And thus far it has served me well.
Perhaps we all started with a Zebco 202 or a Mitchell 300. And some of us have yet to let it go. But as for me and my house, we will fly. I welcome any spin fisherman to join me on the river. The conversation will be lively and no doubt we will have fun. You might outfish me. Yep I am okay with it...if you don't mind fishing with a prude.
The thread that got this whole thought started can be found here...
http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=91690#post91690
3/23/2011
Fishing the generations of the Payne men
Thought it might be interesting to take a look at the generations of men in my family and how the pursuit of fish plays a part in our clan.
This is my Grandfather, Howard Payne. The photo was probably taken sometime around 1910, just before he entered World War 1. A die hard angler to be certain.
This is my Grandfather with a boat that he built himself. If I am not mistaken it was built from old freight pallets. He named it "Our Missed Meals" because of the meals that he missed building it. He unfortunately passed away before I was born. Oddly enough He fished, and also played guitar...as do I.
This is a photo of my Father, Frank Payne taken when he was probably in his teens. He is the young lad on the far right of the picture. Quite a nice stringer of fish, which is funny to me because my Dad is not a fisherman and really doesn't care for it to much. But in his defense I will also add that he is overjoyed that I find so much pleasure and solace on the water. I'd love to have that truck.
This This is Dad on the water as you would find him today. He does love the rivers, but only from the shore with a video camera in hand. Our plan is to shoot some footage for The Perfect Drift sometime this Spring.
Yours Truly...doin what I do. Not much to say that you don't already know. Just another angling, guitar picker in the Payne clan.
Once again, its me.....
And here is Andrew. Will the fishing passion skip another generation? Will the guitar skip another generation? I don't know. All that I can do is introduce him to both, and hope that he falls in love. But that is up to him. He does look good in a Filson...so maybe there is hope!
Four Generations of Paynes. Starting in the 19th Century and going into the 21st when Andrew was born. I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of such amazing men, and their direct and indirect association with water and the art of The Perfect Drift.
Four Generations of Paynes. Starting in the 19th Century and going into the 21st when Andrew was born. I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of such amazing men, and their direct and indirect association with water and the art of The Perfect Drift.
3/22/2011
Finding Humility In My Friends
There are some people who just have a knack for big fish. My friend Mike is one of those people. It is like big fish are just attracted to him or something. I mean, this guy catches some nice fish!
I guess all the guys I fish with on a regular basis have their nitch. I've seen my buddy Jeremy pull trout out of places where you would have bet big money he wouldn't hook anything but a rock. He has high sticked brown trout out of water that was literaly right at his feet. I've even seen him call his catch. "I bet there is a trout behind this rock"...first cast he comes up with a fish. And I have seen him do it multiple times.
Then there is the king of "getting small". My buddy Brad will catch fish with things that could pass for a speck of dust on tippet that is only visible under an electron microscope. And, as Jeremy and Mike...he does this on a consistant basis. It ain't a fluke.
As for myself, no smaller than a size 18 on 5x tippet, and I catch a few, and most are just average.
So to finish todays post, I want to brag on my friends, who are kind enough to let me tag along and watch their magic.
I guess all the guys I fish with on a regular basis have their nitch. I've seen my buddy Jeremy pull trout out of places where you would have bet big money he wouldn't hook anything but a rock. He has high sticked brown trout out of water that was literaly right at his feet. I've even seen him call his catch. "I bet there is a trout behind this rock"...first cast he comes up with a fish. And I have seen him do it multiple times.
Then there is the king of "getting small". My buddy Brad will catch fish with things that could pass for a speck of dust on tippet that is only visible under an electron microscope. And, as Jeremy and Mike...he does this on a consistant basis. It ain't a fluke.
As for myself, no smaller than a size 18 on 5x tippet, and I catch a few, and most are just average.
So to finish todays post, I want to brag on my friends, who are kind enough to let me tag along and watch their magic.
 |
| Jeremy |
 |
| Brad |
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| Me just watching the masters at work. |
3/16/2011
A Letter From Washington
A few days ago, I wrote about the Federal budget cuts and how it will directly impact our sport with the closing of multiple hatcheries. That same day, through our friends at Trout Unlimited, I sent a letter to my Congressman regarding the issue.
This an important issue to me. My life is pretty basic-work, home, work, home, work, home, church, work, home...and every once in a while (not nearly enough in my book!), I get to go fishing. And yes...I will admit unashamedly that I personally don't give a hoot about catching anything but trout. I have friends who go hard after other fish and that is cool with me, but if I am heading to the water I am going after trout exclusively. I love the way they look, the way they fight, where they live...trout are my gig; and under the current fiscal situation in our Country, my gig is under attack.
So...I sent the letter. And here it is. From Senator Bob Corker (R TN):
Dear Mr. Payne,
Thank you for taking the time to contact my office to share your concerns with the appropriations process for FY2011. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.
As you may know, Congress has again failed to meet its obligation to pass each appropriations bill independently and before the end of the fiscal year, which occurs at the end of September. In fact, this year, none were.
Instead, a $1.1 trillion earmark-laden spending bill was introduced in December. I was pleased that we were able to defeat that legislation and in its place, pass a short-term resolution to fund the government until March. This allowed the new Congress to make a stringent review of federal priorities and to start bringing down out-of-control spending this spring, before the end of this fiscal year. That process began on March 2, 2011, when Congress passed an additional two week funding extension that achieved $4 billion in cuts from current spending levels.
More significantly, the House of Representatives recently passed H.R.1, a bill to fund the government through the end of September – the last 7 months of fiscal year 2011. H.R.1 would make an additional $57 billion in cuts from current spending levels. The competing proposal produced by Senate Democrats would cut about $5 billion, which I viewed as an unserious effort to begin addressing our country's fiscal crisis. While many of the cuts in the House funding bill reflect priorities that are different than my own, I recently voted in favor of H.R.1 to send an important message that we must begin to reduce spending.
There are many worthy goals for us to pursue, but we simply cannot do everything that everyone wants. Our children and grandchildren already will be left with an enormous burden and continuing down this path jeopardizes America's economic standing in the world. With a truly responsible federal budget, I fully believe that we could adequately fund those essential programs that are core federal responsibilities and that enhance the liberty, opportunity and welfare of all Americans.
The fact of the matter is that while we must take these immediate steps to fund the government, making difficult choices about our priorities, even reaching the $57 billion of cuts for fiscal year 2011 proposed in H.R.1 would achieve little in relation to this year's projected $1.5 trillion deficit and the massive annual deficits we face for years to come.
I believe that Congress needs a construct to significantly reduce spending and enact specific spending cuts if we are to return to fiscal responsibility. To achieve this, Senator McCaskill and other Senators have joined me in introducing S.245, the Commitment to American Prosperity (CAP) Act. This bill would limit all federal spending, including elements traditionally given the misleading "off-budget" distinction, to a declining percentage of GDP over 10 years. This will finally give us accurate and honest assessment of federal spending, allowing us to lower all spending to its historical average of 20.6 percent of GDP by 2022.
Under the CAP Act, yearly outlays are determined by looking back at GDP over a three year average. This lessens the impact of major economic changes, smoothing the glide path of cuts required over 10 years. However, this cannot be a temporary measure – we must continue to ensure that government lives within its means.
In addition to making spending cuts now and putting in place the CAP Act, we should work towards implementing a balanced budget amendment. These three steps will ensure our country remains fiscally sound for generations to come.
I believe in American exceptionalism, and I believe we can solve this problem. If you would like to know more about the CAP Act, please feel free to visit my website at http://corker.senate.gov. There you will find my presentation on America's debt crisis, charts and graphs, and the text of the bill itself.
Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me as I serve you in the United States Senate.
Sincerely,
Bob Corker
United States Senator
I want to publicly thank Senator Corker for his timely responce.
Not to be a fatalist, and not to turn this blog into a political forum, but I think our Country is going to change a lot in the next few years...and a lot of what I feel is coming is not good.
The one saving grace for me is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wild trout. Free and unhindered. If it all goes south for the tail waters in the land of The Perfect Drift. I can go there to find the fish I so passionately pursue. Writer, and former Knoxvillian, Cormac McCarthy wrote of those wild mountain fish in his book "The Road"(Vintage Press)
"Once there were brook trout in the streams in the mountains. You could see them standing in the amber current where the white edges of their fins wimpled softly in the flow. They smelled of moss in your hand. Polished and muscular and torsional. On their backs were vermiculate patters that were maps of the world in its becoming. Maps and mazes. Of a thing which could not be put back. Not be made right again. In the deep glens where they lived all things were older than man and they hummed of mystery."
— Cormac McCarthy
This an important issue to me. My life is pretty basic-work, home, work, home, work, home, church, work, home...and every once in a while (not nearly enough in my book!), I get to go fishing. And yes...I will admit unashamedly that I personally don't give a hoot about catching anything but trout. I have friends who go hard after other fish and that is cool with me, but if I am heading to the water I am going after trout exclusively. I love the way they look, the way they fight, where they live...trout are my gig; and under the current fiscal situation in our Country, my gig is under attack.
So...I sent the letter. And here it is. From Senator Bob Corker (R TN):
Dear Mr. Payne,
Thank you for taking the time to contact my office to share your concerns with the appropriations process for FY2011. Your input is important to me, and I appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts.
As you may know, Congress has again failed to meet its obligation to pass each appropriations bill independently and before the end of the fiscal year, which occurs at the end of September. In fact, this year, none were.
Instead, a $1.1 trillion earmark-laden spending bill was introduced in December. I was pleased that we were able to defeat that legislation and in its place, pass a short-term resolution to fund the government until March. This allowed the new Congress to make a stringent review of federal priorities and to start bringing down out-of-control spending this spring, before the end of this fiscal year. That process began on March 2, 2011, when Congress passed an additional two week funding extension that achieved $4 billion in cuts from current spending levels.
More significantly, the House of Representatives recently passed H.R.1, a bill to fund the government through the end of September – the last 7 months of fiscal year 2011. H.R.1 would make an additional $57 billion in cuts from current spending levels. The competing proposal produced by Senate Democrats would cut about $5 billion, which I viewed as an unserious effort to begin addressing our country's fiscal crisis. While many of the cuts in the House funding bill reflect priorities that are different than my own, I recently voted in favor of H.R.1 to send an important message that we must begin to reduce spending.
There are many worthy goals for us to pursue, but we simply cannot do everything that everyone wants. Our children and grandchildren already will be left with an enormous burden and continuing down this path jeopardizes America's economic standing in the world. With a truly responsible federal budget, I fully believe that we could adequately fund those essential programs that are core federal responsibilities and that enhance the liberty, opportunity and welfare of all Americans.
The fact of the matter is that while we must take these immediate steps to fund the government, making difficult choices about our priorities, even reaching the $57 billion of cuts for fiscal year 2011 proposed in H.R.1 would achieve little in relation to this year's projected $1.5 trillion deficit and the massive annual deficits we face for years to come.
I believe that Congress needs a construct to significantly reduce spending and enact specific spending cuts if we are to return to fiscal responsibility. To achieve this, Senator McCaskill and other Senators have joined me in introducing S.245, the Commitment to American Prosperity (CAP) Act. This bill would limit all federal spending, including elements traditionally given the misleading "off-budget" distinction, to a declining percentage of GDP over 10 years. This will finally give us accurate and honest assessment of federal spending, allowing us to lower all spending to its historical average of 20.6 percent of GDP by 2022.
Under the CAP Act, yearly outlays are determined by looking back at GDP over a three year average. This lessens the impact of major economic changes, smoothing the glide path of cuts required over 10 years. However, this cannot be a temporary measure – we must continue to ensure that government lives within its means.
In addition to making spending cuts now and putting in place the CAP Act, we should work towards implementing a balanced budget amendment. These three steps will ensure our country remains fiscally sound for generations to come.
I believe in American exceptionalism, and I believe we can solve this problem. If you would like to know more about the CAP Act, please feel free to visit my website at http://corker.senate.gov. There you will find my presentation on America's debt crisis, charts and graphs, and the text of the bill itself.
Thank you again for your letter. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me as I serve you in the United States Senate.
Sincerely,
Bob Corker
United States Senator
I want to publicly thank Senator Corker for his timely responce.
Not to be a fatalist, and not to turn this blog into a political forum, but I think our Country is going to change a lot in the next few years...and a lot of what I feel is coming is not good.
The one saving grace for me is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Wild trout. Free and unhindered. If it all goes south for the tail waters in the land of The Perfect Drift. I can go there to find the fish I so passionately pursue. Writer, and former Knoxvillian, Cormac McCarthy wrote of those wild mountain fish in his book "The Road"(Vintage Press)
"Once there were brook trout in the streams in the mountains. You could see them standing in the amber current where the white edges of their fins wimpled softly in the flow. They smelled of moss in your hand. Polished and muscular and torsional. On their backs were vermiculate patters that were maps of the world in its becoming. Maps and mazes. Of a thing which could not be put back. Not be made right again. In the deep glens where they lived all things were older than man and they hummed of mystery."
— Cormac McCarthy
 |
| Photo by Jeremy Kwasney |
3/15/2011
The Amazing Mr. Wilcox
Northern New York State. On, fittingly enough, Rainbow Lake. This is where you will find Vince Wilcox, and most days, if you find him, he will be at the tying bench. Vince is the owner operator of Wiley's Flies. Its not a huge place, but what real fly shop would be? With a creative eye Vince ties up some cool stuff. And looking at his handiwork, you can easily see that he knows what he is doing. Here is how the whole thing started for Vince in his own words:
"I started Wiley's Flies in 2003, shortly after my second open heart surgery. I was born with a hole in between the chambers of my heart, which was repaired in 1977 with a Tetrology of Fallot repair. Almost 25 years lapsed without me having any major difficulties, in fact I was able to far exceed any doctors expectations, not really having any physical limitations. I was able to race Adirondack Guide Boats, run track, play football, baseball, basketball, and hockey growing up. I also tagged along with my father, an Adirondack Guide and fly tier, just about any time he left the house to fish and hunt. (I would cry hysterically if he didn't take me...works every time!) Having six generations of our family born and raised in the Adirondack Mountain town of Saranac Lake dating back to the founders had its advantages. Knowing when and where to find the best hunting and fishing, and how to go about it when we got there. Growing up we traveled the vast water routes available and I spent the majority of my time hunting and fishing with my father and his friends; whether it was spin fishing, ice fishing, or fly fishing right up until about the time I was entering my sophomore year in high school. Even though I still tagged along with dad occasionally, I found there where other things to chase then just fish & Pheasant tails. I found myself distracted by those other things right through college. I moved to Colorado in 1995 and soon realized how much I missed hiking and being on the water and shortly after became obsessed with doing just that. I was able to hike four of Colorado's 14ers, which are peaks over 14,000' in elevation, and back packed from Colorado all the way to the southern edge of the Yukon territory exploring national parks like Rocky Mountain, Glacier, and Yellowstone in the United States and Canadian national parks like Banff and Jasper in British Columbia and Alberta. Just as a side note Glacier International Peace Park is my absolute favorite, spanning from the NW corner of Montana into the Canadian Providence of Alberta, absolutley amazing park! After my second open heart surgery in December of 2001 things for me where never quite the same and I was unable to continue working a regular schedule with any consistency. I found that most days I just can't function on the level necessary to go about a normal day and my doctor and I decided it was time for a change. By this time I was completely obsessed with tying flies and fly fishing so it seemed like a logical step to take. I followed my heart (no pun intended) and began Wiley's Flies. Since that time I have written for Fly Fisherman and American Angler Magazine as well as becoming a contributing writer for Fly Tyer Magazine and have been working on putting a second book together. I became a Signature Tier for Idylwilde Flies in December of 2004 and I am extremely excited about working with them to develop more patterns and make these flies available to people around the world. I now have 28 patterns available through Idylwilde Flies www.idylwilde.com . Although a lot of things have changed for me in the way I live my life, in many ways I am living out a dream and truly blessed. I have also returned to the Adirondacks as of February 2007 so the fish of the east are on alert! A friend of mine by the name of Bart Thompkins, died of cancer several years ago but his words stuck with me and always will. Even when Bart was at his worst he never complained and tried to live each day as best he could, he said to me about two weeks before he passed "I might die from this, but I won't let it kill me" words that have had a profound impact on my life unbeknownst to him, and if any of you out there are having difficulties with health I hope you too can live by them. I want to thank you in advance for your support and I truly look forward to serving you. To this day still look back on those early days with my father and his friends, and my first fishing partners Charlie Gallucio and Corey Bishop with a fondness I can't put into words. A little piece of those days gets to be relived every time I step in the water. Thanks for the memories and may we never grow old!"
Passion for the sport? You better believe it! And as I read his story for the first time I was reminded of my Uncle who lived with the same heart issues as Vince. Just like Vince, he never let a physical debility become a liability. He made the most of every day and pursued his passion with a fervor that was amazing. Vince not only loves the sport and all that surrounds it, he lives it!
I encourage you folks to visit his web sight and if you don't tie your own flies (or even if you do), pick up some of his work.
The hands that put that fly in the water are hands that love the craft, and it shows.
Vince also has a book coming out that should be in every library of those who tie their own "Vince Wilcox's Naturally Artificial Signature Flies" (Lyons Press 2012)
He also guides (when it comes to fly fishing, what DOESN'T this guy do?!).
Now if I could just figure out how to get him out of the north and onto the Nantahala with some of those flies...
You can visit Wiley's Flies here www.wileysflies.com/
"I started Wiley's Flies in 2003, shortly after my second open heart surgery. I was born with a hole in between the chambers of my heart, which was repaired in 1977 with a Tetrology of Fallot repair. Almost 25 years lapsed without me having any major difficulties, in fact I was able to far exceed any doctors expectations, not really having any physical limitations. I was able to race Adirondack Guide Boats, run track, play football, baseball, basketball, and hockey growing up. I also tagged along with my father, an Adirondack Guide and fly tier, just about any time he left the house to fish and hunt. (I would cry hysterically if he didn't take me...works every time!) Having six generations of our family born and raised in the Adirondack Mountain town of Saranac Lake dating back to the founders had its advantages. Knowing when and where to find the best hunting and fishing, and how to go about it when we got there. Growing up we traveled the vast water routes available and I spent the majority of my time hunting and fishing with my father and his friends; whether it was spin fishing, ice fishing, or fly fishing right up until about the time I was entering my sophomore year in high school. Even though I still tagged along with dad occasionally, I found there where other things to chase then just fish & Pheasant tails. I found myself distracted by those other things right through college. I moved to Colorado in 1995 and soon realized how much I missed hiking and being on the water and shortly after became obsessed with doing just that. I was able to hike four of Colorado's 14ers, which are peaks over 14,000' in elevation, and back packed from Colorado all the way to the southern edge of the Yukon territory exploring national parks like Rocky Mountain, Glacier, and Yellowstone in the United States and Canadian national parks like Banff and Jasper in British Columbia and Alberta. Just as a side note Glacier International Peace Park is my absolute favorite, spanning from the NW corner of Montana into the Canadian Providence of Alberta, absolutley amazing park! After my second open heart surgery in December of 2001 things for me where never quite the same and I was unable to continue working a regular schedule with any consistency. I found that most days I just can't function on the level necessary to go about a normal day and my doctor and I decided it was time for a change. By this time I was completely obsessed with tying flies and fly fishing so it seemed like a logical step to take. I followed my heart (no pun intended) and began Wiley's Flies. Since that time I have written for Fly Fisherman and American Angler Magazine as well as becoming a contributing writer for Fly Tyer Magazine and have been working on putting a second book together. I became a Signature Tier for Idylwilde Flies in December of 2004 and I am extremely excited about working with them to develop more patterns and make these flies available to people around the world. I now have 28 patterns available through Idylwilde Flies www.idylwilde.com . Although a lot of things have changed for me in the way I live my life, in many ways I am living out a dream and truly blessed. I have also returned to the Adirondacks as of February 2007 so the fish of the east are on alert! A friend of mine by the name of Bart Thompkins, died of cancer several years ago but his words stuck with me and always will. Even when Bart was at his worst he never complained and tried to live each day as best he could, he said to me about two weeks before he passed "I might die from this, but I won't let it kill me" words that have had a profound impact on my life unbeknownst to him, and if any of you out there are having difficulties with health I hope you too can live by them. I want to thank you in advance for your support and I truly look forward to serving you. To this day still look back on those early days with my father and his friends, and my first fishing partners Charlie Gallucio and Corey Bishop with a fondness I can't put into words. A little piece of those days gets to be relived every time I step in the water. Thanks for the memories and may we never grow old!"
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| An articulated dry fly! Now that is thinking outside the box! |
 |
| Gotta Love those Browns!!! |
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| This fly would kill in the land of The Perfect Drift!!! |
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| Vince with a true Laviathan! |
Passion for the sport? You better believe it! And as I read his story for the first time I was reminded of my Uncle who lived with the same heart issues as Vince. Just like Vince, he never let a physical debility become a liability. He made the most of every day and pursued his passion with a fervor that was amazing. Vince not only loves the sport and all that surrounds it, he lives it!
I encourage you folks to visit his web sight and if you don't tie your own flies (or even if you do), pick up some of his work.
The hands that put that fly in the water are hands that love the craft, and it shows.
Vince also has a book coming out that should be in every library of those who tie their own "Vince Wilcox's Naturally Artificial Signature Flies" (Lyons Press 2012)
He also guides (when it comes to fly fishing, what DOESN'T this guy do?!).
Now if I could just figure out how to get him out of the north and onto the Nantahala with some of those flies...
You can visit Wiley's Flies here www.wileysflies.com/
3/11/2011
photos
Before I post the photos, I want to say a super hats off thank you to Jeremy Kwasney and Sean Peterson for the photos that I have so shamelessly abscammed from a post about our trip on the East Tennessee Fly Fishing Forum. http://tnrockyraccoon.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=gettogether&action=display&thread=2824&page=1
And now....the pics!
And now....the pics!
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| Myself and Brad Fielden gearing up (Photo by Jeremy Kwasney) |
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| Brad Fielden in the run that was magic (Photo by Jeremy Kwasney) |
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| This was the spot where I landed a bazzilion, trout shown not quite to scale. (Photo and photoshop by Jeremy Kwasney) |
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| One of my bazzilion and my favorite A BROWN!! (Photo by Jeremy Kwasney) |
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| Three Amigos, Brad, myself, and Jeremy in a great run (Photo by Sean Peterson) |
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| The Nan (Photo by Jeremy Kwasney) |
3/09/2011
Our sport at risk!
I am not one to debate when it comes to political stuff. Be you Republican, Democrat, or somewhere in between, I believe that there are good people under each umbrella. I am using todays post to call on everyone who finds a little peace on the water to join with us here at "The Perfect Drift" in signing a petition to keep hatcheries in service.
Our nation has far greater worries than whether or not a rainbow trout gets put in a tailwater, and I am not going to pretend that it is anything more than a luxury that I have grown to love. But it also is something that I feel as a taxpayer and License buyer is my right to support.
The hatchery system took a hit when President Obama reduced spending for NFW. As a result of this cut, several will close. The economic impact of these closures will be big. No fish, no license, no revenue on the state level, reduced monies available...no matter where you start the chain...it reaches its breaking point when it comes back home. And this is an issue that will arrive at my house with a heavy hand.
Erwin hatchery in East Tennessee (set to close)
Arkansas hatcheries (set to close)
Kensington hatchery (set to close)
Washington State hatcheries (set to close)
The list goes on and on.
If you stop to think about how much revenue is generated in most states by fishing and how it will impact tourism, hotels, restaurants, retail....this is a heavy hit.
I once again want to state that there are greater ills befalling our Nation right now, but the greatest ill is the loss of our freedoms and rights as a taxpayer and as Americans.
I have often said it...Where is Teddy Roosevelt wneh we need him! Unfortunately he is in the past, and if we don't do something to protect and preserve the things we believe in...fishing (to a large degree) for me/us will be a thing of the past as well.
Here is a link to the petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-National-Fish-Hactheries/
And here are some links to discussions on the topic:
http://tnrockyraccoon.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2820&page=1
http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=90941#post90941
Here is an official statement from TU:
http://takeaction.tu.org/c.ntJSJ8MPIqE/b.6578825/k.B58A/HR_1_Action_Alert/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?auid=7820206
Thanks for reading and if you know someone who isn't visiting "The Perfect Drift", send them our way!
Tomorrow we are gonna look at a fly shop that is owned by a very cool guy and maybe put up a pattern or two!
Our nation has far greater worries than whether or not a rainbow trout gets put in a tailwater, and I am not going to pretend that it is anything more than a luxury that I have grown to love. But it also is something that I feel as a taxpayer and License buyer is my right to support.
The hatchery system took a hit when President Obama reduced spending for NFW. As a result of this cut, several will close. The economic impact of these closures will be big. No fish, no license, no revenue on the state level, reduced monies available...no matter where you start the chain...it reaches its breaking point when it comes back home. And this is an issue that will arrive at my house with a heavy hand.
Erwin hatchery in East Tennessee (set to close)
Arkansas hatcheries (set to close)
Kensington hatchery (set to close)
Washington State hatcheries (set to close)
The list goes on and on.
If you stop to think about how much revenue is generated in most states by fishing and how it will impact tourism, hotels, restaurants, retail....this is a heavy hit.
I once again want to state that there are greater ills befalling our Nation right now, but the greatest ill is the loss of our freedoms and rights as a taxpayer and as Americans.
I have often said it...Where is Teddy Roosevelt wneh we need him! Unfortunately he is in the past, and if we don't do something to protect and preserve the things we believe in...fishing (to a large degree) for me/us will be a thing of the past as well.
Here is a link to the petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-National-Fish-Hactheries/
And here are some links to discussions on the topic:
http://tnrockyraccoon.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2820&page=1
http://littleriveroutfitters.com/forum/showthread.php?p=90941#post90941
Here is an official statement from TU:
http://takeaction.tu.org/c.ntJSJ8MPIqE/b.6578825/k.B58A/HR_1_Action_Alert/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?auid=7820206
Thanks for reading and if you know someone who isn't visiting "The Perfect Drift", send them our way!
Tomorrow we are gonna look at a fly shop that is owned by a very cool guy and maybe put up a pattern or two!
3/07/2011
A trip of a lifetime
Unreal good. That is what the fishing was like on the Nantahala this weekend. The pursuit of active and amazingly aggressive fish in one of the most pristine trout locations east of the Mississippi is just next level. Plain and simple.
The weather was crappy for a picnic, but when it is overcast and a steady light rain is falling…you can become a trout ninja. Absolutely invisible. In most cases we were standing in water that barely covered our boots casting into deep pools that were just stacked with fish. Fly selections were pretty easy too…streamers and caddis pupa were the flies that seemed to bring the most success for me. And by the end of our trip, my right arm ached from the repeated fights. A total of seven men worked this water together and as best we can calculate we brought to hand better than 200 fish.
Everything, and I do mean everything came together for us. Sometimes (very seldom), you enter the water and everything works in your favor. The fishing was so good that even an alternator going out was a bonus.
These trips that I take with my brethren at ETFFF (East Tennessee Fly Fishing Forum)http://tnrockyraccoon.proboards.com/index.cgi? , are as much social events as they are fishing events, and we stayed up until the wee hours Friday night, playing music, telling stories, and laughing about how good the fishing was that day and looked to continue for the remainder of the weekend…which it did.
We could do no wrong. Made me feel like I was actually good at my sport…which anyone who has fished with me will attest is nothing more than a delusion. When you can see the fish, they can’t see you, and you can set the hook with success, anyone would look good. The fishing was so good that, as I said on the river, “I am crimping the barbs on my hooks because they are just slowing me down”.
Epic.
You would think that after a weekend like this I would have my fill of fishing for a while.
I am already trying to plan another trip in the next couple of weeks…
(pictures soon!)
The weather was crappy for a picnic, but when it is overcast and a steady light rain is falling…you can become a trout ninja. Absolutely invisible. In most cases we were standing in water that barely covered our boots casting into deep pools that were just stacked with fish. Fly selections were pretty easy too…streamers and caddis pupa were the flies that seemed to bring the most success for me. And by the end of our trip, my right arm ached from the repeated fights. A total of seven men worked this water together and as best we can calculate we brought to hand better than 200 fish.
Everything, and I do mean everything came together for us. Sometimes (very seldom), you enter the water and everything works in your favor. The fishing was so good that even an alternator going out was a bonus.
These trips that I take with my brethren at ETFFF (East Tennessee Fly Fishing Forum)http://tnrockyraccoon.proboards.com/index.cgi? , are as much social events as they are fishing events, and we stayed up until the wee hours Friday night, playing music, telling stories, and laughing about how good the fishing was that day and looked to continue for the remainder of the weekend…which it did.
We could do no wrong. Made me feel like I was actually good at my sport…which anyone who has fished with me will attest is nothing more than a delusion. When you can see the fish, they can’t see you, and you can set the hook with success, anyone would look good. The fishing was so good that, as I said on the river, “I am crimping the barbs on my hooks because they are just slowing me down”.
Epic.
You would think that after a weekend like this I would have my fill of fishing for a while.
I am already trying to plan another trip in the next couple of weeks…
(pictures soon!)
3/03/2011
Tomorrow is not soon enough!
Well...we've come to the last day before the three day trip to North Carolina. It is at this point in trip preparation when you are still gathering things and trying to tie up any loose ends that still remain. For the past few days, I have kept a close eye on the weather...and it is gonna be wet. Rain is expected all three days with Saturday showing a 90% chance. I am undaunted.
I have also received word that the place we are fishing has been fishing quite poorly of late. This is a delayed harvest stream and it seems that as soon as the stock truck pulls out, the poachers pull in and load up. One friend said that he was at this same spot a couple of weeks ago and saw one fish all day. Not very good odds.
But hope springs eternal. I have found two or three possible alternatives if the weather will be kind. I have my rain gear, all my flies are tied, and I think I have enough food to last.
There will be six other friends with me, some I haven't seen in a long time, and my guitar and mandolin will be going with me. Even if we are skunked (which I hopefully doubt), we will have a good time. We always do when we are together.
The first trip I took with these guys was much the same. Lousy weather, hard fishing, but in that misery I made some friends that are very close to me, and that made the whole thing worth it. We will laugh, discuss the conditions, complain, solve all the worlds problems, jam some, and laugh some more. We may come back to the cabin soaked, tired, and skunked, but in the end...we were out doing what we do in a beautiful place. And the outdoor portion of my soul will be refreshed. Kinda makes the fishing seem insignificant, and I guess on the bigger picture it is.
Anyway, I will be out of touch for a few days. Hopefully I will have some amazing stories to share when I get back.
Yesterday I got my swag I won from Greenfish. One cool shirt for sure!
Next week we will get back on track with some reports and I think we will spend some time talking about forums and blogs that are out there supporting and congregating the Southeast.
See ya'll!!! And thanks so much for stopping by. Refer us to someone you think might enjoy us!
I have also received word that the place we are fishing has been fishing quite poorly of late. This is a delayed harvest stream and it seems that as soon as the stock truck pulls out, the poachers pull in and load up. One friend said that he was at this same spot a couple of weeks ago and saw one fish all day. Not very good odds.
But hope springs eternal. I have found two or three possible alternatives if the weather will be kind. I have my rain gear, all my flies are tied, and I think I have enough food to last.
There will be six other friends with me, some I haven't seen in a long time, and my guitar and mandolin will be going with me. Even if we are skunked (which I hopefully doubt), we will have a good time. We always do when we are together.
The first trip I took with these guys was much the same. Lousy weather, hard fishing, but in that misery I made some friends that are very close to me, and that made the whole thing worth it. We will laugh, discuss the conditions, complain, solve all the worlds problems, jam some, and laugh some more. We may come back to the cabin soaked, tired, and skunked, but in the end...we were out doing what we do in a beautiful place. And the outdoor portion of my soul will be refreshed. Kinda makes the fishing seem insignificant, and I guess on the bigger picture it is.
Anyway, I will be out of touch for a few days. Hopefully I will have some amazing stories to share when I get back.
Yesterday I got my swag I won from Greenfish. One cool shirt for sure!
Next week we will get back on track with some reports and I think we will spend some time talking about forums and blogs that are out there supporting and congregating the Southeast.
See ya'll!!! And thanks so much for stopping by. Refer us to someone you think might enjoy us!
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