Easy Switch Cast

Time to get back in the groove.

Fly Fishing is...

New Online Magazine - Revive

Revive a Quarterly Fly Fishing Journal

Only a few days left...

to enter the Abel Reel-Art Contest.

ABEL REEL ART CONTEST OPEN TO AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS

CAMARILLO, Calif. – Artists – from first-time amateur to student, fly fishing guide or professional – may compete for the opportunity of designing the fish graphic finish of a new Abel Reel including recognition and write-up on the firm’s website and 2015 catalog. 

Two winners, fresh and saltwater species fish finish, will be awarded the Abel Reel of their choice, showcasing their own winning design, announced Jeff Patterson, director of sales of the California tackle manufacturer. There will also be one junior division winner for all artists ages 15 and under at the time of submission. 

“To enter the fly-fishing artist competition, submit all artwork and a signed release form available at www.abelreels.com to our email address atinfo@abelreels.com no later than September 30, 2013,” said Patterson.

Abel will select the Finalists, up to 10 pieces of artwork in each category, and picture them on the company’s Facebook page. The Finalists in each category will be open for vote over a 2 month period during October and November, 2013. Each Facebook “like” will be considered one vote.

Fresh, saltwater, and junior division winning designs will then go into production, with the three winning artists each receiving a free reel of their choice.


Art templates and official rules available at:
Abel-Reel-Art-Contest.html

Visiting fermenters in firehouses...

in the Upper Delaware watershed.

 Bear fishing...

 Bootlegger corn mash vodka, mmm,

 Calicoon brewery in an old firehouse,

 Prohibition Distillery in an old firehouse,

 Columns, right for vodka, center for bourbon and left for gin.

The Roscoe Brewery expects to start production on sire by the end of October.

Might hit this place for lunch...

enroute to said distillery.

I hears that they make a mean Rueben.

Try to find this tomorrow...

Prohibition Distillery.

Our Gluten free, 100% American corn grain, Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka, has a unique genesis. After all, our colorful approach and romantic reverence to the Prohibition era of the 1920’s and 30’s, has given us supreme optimism in the face of today’s divergent opinions and social conflict. Just as the Bootleggers shrugged off the 18th Amendment making the transport and sale of liquor illegal in the U.S., we said, “to heck with the financial woes”, and instead quit our jobs to follow our dream. A dream to make a locally crafted spirit that respects a sense of tenacity found in the American entrepreneur. A spirit that pulled us out of a depression, saw the birth of the cocktail, backroom speakeasy, and Bootleggers of notorious fame.

Although we started out to simply build a company we could be proud of, we ended up discovering a way of living, working, and appreciating what we have right here, right now, from our own toil. We call it Bootlegger 21, named for the 21st Amendment that repealed the ban on booze in 1933. It is an elegantly crafted Vodka, that calls New York its home. The great Empire State that mirrors America’s past vivacity in the face of uncertainty, and where prohibition was most powerfully felt and vehemently disputed.

Thus was born our super-premium vodka, “Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka”. It took us some time to learn our new trade and to perfect its uncommonly smooth feel and flavor. Early on in the process, we sent our initial recipe to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, to gauge if we were on the right track. We received a Silver Medal and thought “Hey, that’s not bad, but let’s keep working to make it even better”. So we spent an additional nine months to perfect a vodka that is smooth enough to be sipped, yet pure enough to be mixed perfectly into any classic cocktail, all while being complex enough to be awarded the gold medals at the 2010 New York International Spirits Competition and an “Exceptional 90-95 Rating” from the esteemed Beverage Testing Institute. Now we’re happy, and we’re certain you will be too.

Fall Fest at The West Branch Resort

Fall is an exciting time in the fly fishing world. New gear is released for the upcoming season and Steelhead / lake run Brown Trout season is right around the corner. The debut of new products also means big discounts on discontinued products. Coming to the West Branch Resort on October 5th, daa, da, daaa, Fall Fest 2.0!  
Expect discounts of 20 - 50% off on products from Sage, Simms, Patagonia Orvis, Ross, Winston, Hardy and more. Out with the old in with the new!  The new 2014 Spring product lines from Simms, Patagonia and Orvis will also be available for viewing.  See the new gear for Spring here first!!!!

Other goodness:

Learn to Spey Cast for Free!! : Building off the concept of fly fishing 101/201 this is a unique oppourtunity to learn the basics of double handed casting for free! If you find that after the 101 class you would like to further the training we will be offering a 201 class for a small charge of $75.00. Registration is required to attend the 201 class you must all so register for 101. To register Spey 101 & 201 Registration

• Spey 101: Saturday 10/5 9am
• Spey 201: Saturday 10/5 1pm

John Miller Tying Demo: West Branch Angler's head guide John miller will spend some time showing off his favorite flies for fall steelhead. John's patterns are both innovative and effective this is something you don't want to miss!

• Saturday 10/5 9am-4pm

Steelhead Alley Outfitters In The HouseThe boys from Steelhead Alley Outfitters will be in the house to talk to use about fishing the Lake Erie Tributaries for Steelhead as well as showing off some of there favorite patterns for fall.

• Saturday 10/5 9am-4pm

Rich Strolis Tying Demo: Local legend Rich Strolis of Casting Shadows will on site tying a handful of his fall streamers for brown trout Including his new masked avenger streamer. Rich will also be tying some trailer hook swinger style streamers that can be used for steelhead as well and a few other patterns for fall. Rich is a streamer Jedi his flies are awesome you won't want to miss his tying demos!

• Juggernaut JR
• Ice Pick
• Masked Avenger
• BS Swinger
• Mop Head

Scott Radian Test Cast: This rod has been a huge success.  We will have almost the entire line of the rod that has changed the way we all think of high end performance!

• Saturday 10/5 9am-5pm

Helios 2 Switch Rod Test Cast: On site for all to cast will be the brand new Helios 2 switch rods. Bring a pair of gloves because these things are smoken hot!

• Saturday 10/5 8am-5pm

Scientific Angler Line Trade In Promo: Your poor line has just taken a serious beating this season. From dragging in along the bank and catching it on every possible thing on your driftboat it's time to trade that line in. To help you our bring in your old line and we will give you 20% off a new in stock Scientific Angler Fly line.

• Saturday 10/5 9am-5pm

Shop Talk BBQ: Sam will have a nice BBQ going with burgers, sausage and hot dogs. Relax grab a brew and a dog and cast your brains out.

• Saturday 10/5 11am - 3pm

Friday Bacon!

Alert!: Today's Friday Bacon is a duality of bacon awesomeness!
First the second installment of bacon infinity, behold the bacon mobius, there is no end to this bacon in sight. Go ahead trace your way around it, unending bacon pleasure isn't it?

Second instead of just cheesy bacon tater tots, I give you bacon wrapped around cheesy tater tots.

Recipe included:

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs

Ingredients

·         ½ bag Tater Tots (thawed to room temperature)

·         1 8-ounce package Sharp Cheddar Cheese (cut in ¼-inch squares)

·         Hot Sauce

·         1 16-ounce package Bacon (strips cut in half)

·         ½ cup Brown Sugar

Instructions

1.    Preheat over to 400F

2.    Cube the sharp cheddar cheese in to very small pieces.

3.    Cut bacon strips in half.

4.    Cut out a small center portion of a Tater Tot, place cheese cube in the center of the Tater Tot.

5.    Wrap the Tater Tot and cheese cube in one of the bacon strips that have been cut in half.

6.    Roll in brown sugar and place in pan seam side down.

7.    Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turn each bacon wrapped Tator Tot over to brown the bottom. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool and serve with your favorite sauce.

Happy Weekend!

Some decor for the abode or camp?

We do custom sheet metal at Rado Enterprises

The welcome sign which I am partial to,

an alterative insert,

 

and of course to make this all relevant to a fishing blog.

 The newest fire ring in production,

(Thank Shillelagh for the inspiration)

 The coach special 

If you feel inclined stop by the stand at the Bloomsburg Fair and check it out.

 

Idaho Desert Spring Creek Toads

Idaho Roads & Desert Toads from Waist Deep Media on Vimeo.

Charcuterie?

In The Charcuterie

There are few joys in life greater than preparing delicious preserved meats for fishing excursions— and it's with that pleasure in mind that we present to you In The Charcuterie: The Fatted Calf's Guide to Making Sausage, Salumi, Pates, Roasts, Confits, and Other Meaty Goods ($24). With 125 recipes for preparing meats, brought to you by the proprietors of San Francisco's legendary charcuterie, The Fatted Calf, you'll be able to make some of our Bear and Coach's favorites (and probably some things you've Stew's never heard of) right in Curly's kitchen. The book will walk you through everything from preparing Curly's kitchen, to selecting the right cuts, to the basics of butchering, to salting, curing, brining, stuffing, and much more.

Enjoy the Patio...

Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven

Upgrade your apres' fishing patio experience this fall with freshly-cooked pizza, using the Pizzeria Pronto Outdoor Pizza Oven ($300). This propane-powered, highly-portable pizza oven can reach temperatures of  700 degrees, and preheats in only ten minutes, so you can cook up plenty of pizza for your fishing buddies. It features a dual-layer pizza stone that heats evenly, so your pizza gets evenly-baked every time, while a moisture vent ensures great, crisp crust. It's also easy to clean, assembles and disassembles in just minutes, and includes just about everything you need to start cooking, (except the gas).

Enjoy, enjoy!

I dont' always go fishing...

See you at the Cold Cup!

Friday Bacon!

Hope they bring this stand to the self-defended Bloomsburg Fair this year!

 

Mmmm, the small hands cook the bacon so tastily...

Jackson Hole "One Fly"

By Josh Cooper, Jackson Hole, Wyo. September 11, 2013

Twenty-eight years of Jackson Hole One Fly competitions have produced many stories about guides saving their clients’ flies. They have jumped out of the boat to wade or swim to retrieve a fly that was stuck in vegetation. This year one shimmied up a tree to pull a snagged fly out of a limb. All to keep anglers in the competition, because once they lose their fly of the day, they’re done.

So Don Goodwin wasn’t feeling so good when he snagged a submerged tree 40 minutes into his float Saturday. His guide, Jean Bruun, ferried across the river and fought the current as Goodwin let out 100 yards of line. As they got close to the snag, the fly popped free. Goodwin was ecstatic. Until he discovered the hook had broken off. “I’m sweating at this point,” Bruun said, “because this is the only chance this guy has.” So she innovated. Bruun trimmed off some excess materials, as allowed by the strict rules. She bent down the shank into a hook shape and filed it to a point. She changed the dry fly to a strange version of a soft hackle wet one. With this Frankenfly, Goodwin pulled in a few more fish before the rest of the hook broke off, leaving only an eyelet and a few threads. “He kept the most exemplary attitude of anyone I’ve ever seen in my life,” Bruun said. “He couldn’t have been more of a gentleman about it.”

Manners aside, anglers take the competition seriously. Mark Rockefeller had the winning fly: a size-14 mayfly nymph. He had the highest single-day total Saturday with 695 points — awarded according to the sizes of fish caught. Jeff Currier had the highest two-day total with 1,191. Rockefeller’s team — the South Fork Anglers with Mike Engles, Jonathan Lancaster and Peek Garlington— won the competition over 39 others. They scored 2,805 over two days. Tim Warren was top guide. Anglers in his boat scored 1,719 in two days. Flies can’t be larger than size 6 (a measure of the size of the gap between the shank and hook).

Anglers can use glue to touch up a fly if it starts to unravel, but they can’t add material to it or retie it in any way. It is legal to unravel a fly and to take materials off. This has led to the creation of several kinds of “convertible flies” that have easily removable parts. Anglers seek every advantage, starting with their selection of a robust fly. They go to some of the valley’s top fly tiers as a start. Experts like Scott Sanchez, Will Dornan and Bruce James have developed techniques and patterns that are durable and can take repeated abuse. Their flies can cost around $20. Sometimes you can see one of these enterprising fly tiers pushing their product on the riverbank before the day begins. “It looks like a crack deal is going down,” veteran guide Scott Hocking said. “You see guys swarming around them, cash flying in every direction. It can get crazy.”

When looking at what flies have won the event in years past, there’s no discernible pattern, Hocking said. “It has gone from the smallest to the largest,” he said. “From streamers made with bunny fur to rusty spinners, size 16.” Money raised from the event goes to a number of stream-improvement projects. An auction of fly-fishing goods helps boost the take.

 The highlight this year was a rod and reel that belonged to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Australian Scott Carey bought it for $27,000. Two dozen “bombproof” flies tied by Sanchez sold for $1,000.

Weather was an issue this year, as heavy rain on Friday caused portions of the river to become muddy, making the fishing tricky. That’s all par for the course, said Sue Bashford, the One Fly’s executive director. “All in all it was a great year,” she said. “The river did blow out a little bit, but that’s fishing. The camaraderie was great to see, and everyone had a great time.”

Kinda' reminds me...

of most outings on the West Branch, except for the mouth breathing.