Crankin' them Out.........

One of the joys of winter is it is a time that there's a little extra time to tie some flies, play with some new designs, but more than that just slow down a little and enjoy it.

Often customers ask what do you do in the off season? Really, we don't have one. We are fortunate to live somewhere we can fish year round, so I continue guiding during the winter months. Also, I do lots of teaching ...particularly winter fly tying. And lastly, I tie for shops and also custom orders for my customers, so often I am busy with that no matter what the weather outside holds. That is another facet of the sport that makes it so fun. I often think as I am tying a fly, if this fly were drifted over that favorite gravel bar on the South Holston and allowed to sit almost still I can see that 18" wild brown rise maddeningly slow and sip it right in.............

If you are a fly tyer you know what I mean. Half the time we are tying we are conjuring up images in mind of that perfect cast, perfect drift, right over that spot we've been waiting to throw our latest creation. Getting the fish to rise to it causes a burst of adrenaline inside, something that really goes even further to over the edge if he actually eats it. And to a fly tyer, there's no feeling like, definite confirmation from the one whose opinion....well when you get down to it--- the only opinion that--- really matters.

Much of my winter time when I am not on the water is consumed by tying custom orders. Just today working on a custom order for the South Holston, about 5 dozen bugs that hopefully will give the person I am tying them for as much joy as I had in tying and fishing them myself. And everyone of those flies I am thinking where and how I'd fish them.....and often customers ask just that. I usually tell them how I'd fish them, knowing if they are successful they will be back for more. And I can't help but feel like I have caught fish too when they do well. And lastly, customers are one of the greatest sources of feedback that there is. Sometimes, I will go through several changes to a fly pattern before it becomes one of the "standard" offerings I tie. And many times, a customer helped tweak the fly through suggestions.

Oh well, ......enough rambling for now. I'd better get back to tying, .........there are many dozens left to finish before the day is through. Good tying.......!

Friends from afar....well almost...Not that far

It was one of those days you hope for. After meeting up in Shady Valley, TN, John and Madie King and I were off. We crossed the Beaverdam and Cherokee National Forest enroute to one of the places dearest to me, Helton Creek.

John and Madie are like a lot of folks, they love to flyfish and are really good at it. They are young, they are professional types, John being a physician , and they live in Columbus, MS. And they don't mind driving a long way to find some good fishing. Just my kind of folks, and absolutely a pleasure to spend a day on the river with. I met them a few years ago via an eBay transaction. We started talking, and set up a trip.

Our day on the Helton was magical. It was one of those days where we got into a load of fish. First it was brookies. Lots of them. What started for them as just wanting to catch a brookie ended up being double digits of them, in the first place we stopped. In fact, I think we caught about 25 fish the first place we stopped to fish. We hit a couple of other spots, and with much the same result. The last hour of the evening was filled with rising fish and about a dozen or more for John, all on dry flies. What a way to end the day.

Besides being a good fly fisherman, John is quite the fly tyer as well. In the spring I received a "care package" with some great looking flies that John had tied. Great is an understatement, they were fantastic.

I believe one thing I have always loved about the sport is the people I have met and come to know through it. Some of the best folks walking this planet are fly fishermen. They are folks that you not only know as customers but also come to know and call them friends. And that's hard to beat! Not only do you meet some great people, but often trade ideas and perspectives about fishing, tying, and life.

I have the privilege of serving a group of the greatest people on earth.....you! Thanks for that, I could never repay all the benefit that I have received from knowing you all. Here's to more of the same in the future.

What a Game......

Sorry, just couldn't help myself. Just like a questionable fishing day, like going out in the middle of a hard freeze, or the high, roily water that often follows the passing of a spring front, to an orange post thunderstorm stream in summer, to a river that has bared its bones in August.....the Giants weathered every storm thrown their way. Most of all they exemplified what has made a difference in life to me, take one on the chin, brush yourself off, and go on. And quitting isn't an option.

We couldn't pass up the is opportunity to celebrate with Manning and his Crew. A game filled with hype, and the usual predictions, and the usual "no respect" for a NY team that did something just as tough as 18-0, that is winning 10 straight on the road, all the way to the Super Bowl, and as a wild card.

Michael Strahan and Amani Toomer are the only Giants still left on the roster from the Super Bowl game seven years ago. Both veterans told inexperienced teammates to ignore the hoopla, its distraction and the parties, noting that those things are to be enjoyed during those years when you don't play for a championship.

Experts and critics doubted the Giants' ability to get it done. Why I don't know. "There is a way to get to anybody," the Giants Michael Strahan said. "And for us today, the way to win this game was to get to Tom Brady. Stop the run and get to Brady." And Strahan was right, get to him they did, to the tune of over 30 hits, 15 takedowns, and five sacks. The Giants mashed the Pats flat. Actually, they dominated them. Strahan said also "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.' And today we wanted to punch them in the face." Not only did they succeed, they dominated both sides of the ball.

Plaxico Burress and Tom Brady traded comments all week. I know he was excited, but I was nervous about some of the things Plax said....like in reference to winning, he said ".....I guarantee it." But Plax saw the title coming, last week he did say NY would prevail 23-17. That is what got Tom Brady's attention, and drew a response. "We are only going to score 17 points? Ok, is Plax playing defense? I wish he would have said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for scoring more points" said Brady. Why would Brady say this I thought? The Giants are great on defense, and the pass rush they execute is the best in the NFL. Needless to say, with regard to the outcome, the Giants simply smashed them.....the Pats were Flats.

Anyway, I am almost a NY convert. Best of all, was on of the statements by Mike Strahan's parents. Strahan said, "Even when my parents were telling me, 'You're going to win', I don't know if I believed them." Strahan postponed retirement in August just to try for this trophy. How satisfying it must be to have finally have a ring and trophy. I love it!

Certified Casting Instruction.....What's the deal with that?

Casting is one area that folks are always working on, regardless of whether the person is just starting out or has been fly fishing for years. And with my business we certainly get a lot of lessons and teaching opportunities where casting is the subject matter. With that said, we also get some questions as to what it means to be a "Certified Casting Instructor".

When I got into teaching casting in the early 90's, little was known about the program. When it became apparent that I'd be doing instruction in the future, and with so many new folks coming into the sport, I decided to pursue certification.I studied and practiced for months even though I had been fly fishing for several years. I took my test at the FFF Conclave in Gatlinburg, TN, and met some very interesting folks. Joan Wulff, Bruce Richards (of Scientific Anglers), Mel Krieger to name a few.....and the gentleman in the photo above is who I took my testing from . His name is Macauley "Mac" Lord, and he is the head instructor of the LL Bean Fly Fishing Schools.

Macauley was gracious and man was he good. This guy could cast, and most of us just stood in awe. But all of the teachers were like that, but the one thing that stood out was that there were no attitudes there......none....no, not one. Each one of them had the heart of a teacher, better yet, they saw themselves as lifelong students of fly casting....making all of us taking the test feel more like comrades or brethren than subjects. I must say the test, even though I had prepared for it, was no cakewalk. That was apparent too for all the other folks who were also being tested.

The Casting Instructor Certification Program began in 1992 for the purpose of enhancing the overall level of instruction in fly casting, including instructor knowledge, casting proficiency, and teaching ability. The objectives of the program are:To educate and enhance the growth of fly casting instructors by (1) establishing high standards for teaching -conducting teaching workshops that are a required part of the certification -(2) administering a test that assesses the applicants knowledge of casting, teaching ability, and casting proficiency -(3)conducting clinics on how to teach flycasting at FFF shows, conclaves and at consumer fishing shows -and (4) establishing and maintaining communication networks for certified instructors .

Who runs the program? The Board of Governors for Casting Certification developed the program and administers it. The volunteer Board is an arm of the FFF and is made up of some the most respected names in the world of fly fishing and fly casting, include Gary Borger, Mel Krieger, Al Kyte, Steve Rajeff, Joan Wulff , Tom Jindra, Macauley Lord, and other well-know experts. The tests for certification is administered either byone of these folks, one member of the Board of Governors, or by two Certified Master Instructors.

Why is it good for the sport? With FFF raising the level of flycasting instruction, beginners have a smoother entry into flyfishing. Flyfishers who want to build on their existing casting skill will have ready access to instructors trained to help them advance to the next level.The Program fosters the exchange of teaching and casting ideas among instructors across the continent.

Becoming certified requires a written test and a casting proficiency test plus the demonstration of the ability to communicate and teach others. The written test covers basic gear, lines, leaders, techical questions to insure that the potential instructor has knowledge beyond casting to the relevant equipment and fishing knowledge necessary. The proficiency and performance test requires :

1)Demonstration of six consecutive controlled casts at 35-40' with narrow, uniform loops on both the front and back casts.2) Demonstrate wide loops on the forward cast only on command.3) Demonstrate tailing loops on the forward cast only on command.4) Demonstrate the reach cast left at 35-40'5) Demonstrate the reach cast right at 35-40'6) Demonstrate the sidearm cast at 35-40' with narrow, controlled loops7) Demonstrate the pile cast at 35-40', and its use as a presentation cast8) Demonstrate slow, medium, and fast false casting at 35-40' on command9) Demonstrate normal roll cast to a distance of 40' on command with leader straightening completely10) Demonstrate presenting a fly to targets at 20, 30, and 40 feet w/only 3 attempts at each11) Same as #10 but over the opposite shoulder12) Roll cast to a target at 45-50'13) Demonstrate double haul casting with 45-50' of line14) Demonstrate a controlled distance cast to a minimum of 75' with line and leader fully straighteningVerbal and Teaching part of the Test: (the testee pretends to instruct the instructor)* explain and demonstrate how to cast narrow to wide loops, with the demonstration consistent with the "How to" needed to produce these types of loops.*explain and demonstrate the cause and correction of tailing loops*explain rod loading*explain and describe the casting stroke as it relates to casting distance*explain and demonstrate good timing when false casting*explain and demonstrate casting into a head wind* Explain and demonstrate casting with a cross wind blowing into the casting sideThe notion that the wind can cause the line to drift into the caster must be included in the explanation. At least one of several possible solutions must also be included. Possible solutions include the following: Pick up on the windward side but change to the lee side for the forward cast Cast only on the lee side of the body using the alternate hand or casting backhand.

As you can see the test is quite involved. Macauley was very much by the program above, but was very encouraging and I must say an excellent teacher. Myself and about twenty other applicants sweated through the testing, about half of us passed. It was a great experience for me, and it certainly gave me several new perspectives on fly casting, and more importantly, teaching it. In teaching casting, just being able to cast is not enough, what these folks are looking for are those who can teach. Fortunately, I was able to pass the test. And I must say I have been learning ever since!

"Does Montana Know about This.......?

When its cold outside, its hard to imagine if spring will come soon enough. Cold is a relative term, and we certainly are fortunate to live where we can fish most of the year with no problem. But as cold as it has been lately, it makes one dream of the spring that is to come. And with it the planning of some special trips, perhaps near and far, but planning them for sure!

This begins our eighth season of fishing at Escatawba Farms. Of all the places we do trips to, it is always a favorite of our customers- - - and with good reason. We like it because seldom is the day when we don't finish with good numbers of above average trout, like fish from 14-20", and consistently. Catch a good day like we had last March, when I and one of my fellow anglers Tom Jackson had five anglers into a good number of fish, like over 200 of them to be exact.

If you've never given this trip a look, it is worthy of some consideration. Owner and Riverkeeper Derrick Barr and his wife Karen have one of the most attractively arranged and cared for properties you will find anywhere. Just pulling in the front gate past the majestic Escatawba Farms sign, down the long tree lined road to the house and the check in barn/building, you get the feeling of having driven onto a place right out of Southern Living magazine. And that's not even the saying anything about the fishing......Almost two miles of gin clear water home and three ponds are home to thousands of rainbow and brown trout from 14 to over 20 inches that will both delight you and challenge your fly fishing skills at the same time.

To top it off, I must say that Derrick and Karen get an A plus plus for the hospitality they give as well. Truly indeed when you fish there you definitely feel like the red carpet has been rolled out for you.....and they serve everyone that way. They definitely set a standard that is hard to beat.

You can check them out online at www.escatawba.com .

We will have a couple of trips coming up in the next six months here that we'd love to get you in on. This year I will be doing a first, a trip/seminar specifically geared toward one of my favorite types of fishing , Terrestrials. And when these fish are on them, its an incredible sight to see a large fish lift its head two inches out of the water to swallow a beetle or a hopper.....and they sometimes will take size 8 and 10 dry flies!

We'll keep you posted on the dates and details of these trips, maybe you can join us for one.....or both for that matter!

Winter Weather....How sweet it is........am I crazy?

I remember before a few inches of snow and some really bitter, yes bitter cold temperatures saying something like that. Am I crazy....? I guess that would depend on who you ask, maybe my wife for one. Maybe me too sometimes. Anyone who would get up at 5:00am to pack lunches and gear, meet my client(s), and then drive for an hour and a half for more to get in a river that is hovering at around freezing and has so much ice in it that just pondering where you where you might even be able to make a cast ........well, maybe the word crazy is appropriate. But you know, we'll have probably all been there a time or two. You soon realize the itch that keeps me going is the same itch that is inside the person I am guiding, they and I just want to get out. And lastly, I think maybe its just another way to show our manhood, even if we freeze in the process.

We live in a place that we can pretty much fish most any day of the year. Sometimes that means going in less than perfect, even lousy conditions.....but there have been times that maybe we got into an unexpected hatch, or caught a really large fish....that we keep hoping that the day will be "one of those days." Like when Mark Stauffer and I fished an outright deluge this fall on the South Holston, only to catch a great BWO hatch and catch about 75 or 80 fish. And this summer, when a two day trip with Brian Fitzgerald, his wife Linda, and Linda's parents forced us to fish a section of river that we weren't planning on fishing. That particular trip Linda's dad Tom Wright caught a brown trout over 12lbs, a VA citation fish and the second largest documented brown caught in the state of VA in 2007. And then there was the bitter cold day with Mac Cheek in Ashe County last fall, when the river had pretty much frozen except for a few pools, and we ended up with a double digit day- - -something I'd not expected but that both of us were glad for. And then finally, when I met customers Jeff Terrell, Ken Whitescarver, and their friend Mel Harley up in Ashe Co. last year. It was Mel's "bachelor get away" before his big day and the guys had planned a trip in advance only to have a major cold front blow in. The temp when I arrived on the morning we were supposed to fish was 9F in the sun, the New River looked like something in the Artic circle, an ice cold flow complete with large chunks of ice bobbing as they made their way downstream. Our solution: enjoy the fire in the cabin, rig our gear inside, eat plenty of food, put on our waders, and in the meantime hope the temperature rose enough to get a cast or two off without the line freezing to the guides. The result? The temp warmed up to a balmy 20F, the line still froze to the guides, but a 15-20 fish afternoon from about noon til 4pm, with a couple of 18-20 rainbows and several nice brookies.....all on a day that seemed impossible at the start. Go figure. Sometimes in this thing called fishing you have to play the hand you are dealt. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Somedays you count the fish you catch, other days you count strikes. And sometimes just the fact that you can catch a fish on a day like this is pretty amazing. And, all of it leads you back to that same question.....are we crazy? I know I am pretty often, how about you?

Winter Weather.....How Sweet it is.....

What a great thing it was to wake up to a fresh fallen snow this morning. As I poured a cup of coffee and returned to my place in front of the crackling fire I said to my wife....."what a day it would be to be on the water somewhere...." I know sometimes she must think I am crazy. That anyone would want to put on waders in freezing weather, walk through several inches of white stuff to stand in 35F water, and to do that for several hours on end - - -well maybe there's something to the crazy part.
And indeed there is. To me anyway, any time is a great time to fish. Winter, just like any season, has its fishing moments. No, fish do not go into hibernation as animals do, nor do they quit feeding. And catch them on the right day, and well--you can just have a ball.
Every year and almost without fail our winter guided trips produce some of the largest fish of the year. It just seems to work out that way. Whether its ripping a big streamer through a deep hole or bottom bouncing/dead drifting a large nymph or wooly bugger (you know dead drifting a wooly bugger is deadly if you have never given it a try....), or fishing a spawn or egg fly, whatever the case, fish just seem willing to take a bite of something big. Maybe its they feed less and want a lot of calories when they do, I am not sure that I know. I know tailwaters are often the opposite, and places like East Tennessee's South Holston River are like that. Thousands (like 5000-6000 trout per mile) of trout feeding on midge pupa and blackflies and where if you are fishing a #20 or 22 you are way out of line......
Wherever the place, and whatever the circumstance, I'd have to say winter is one of my favorite times of all. Give it a try.......maybe you'll discover the same.