MidCurrent

Video: Tying a Chimarra Caddis

Marshall Cutchin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:07:43 +0000

“The little black sedge, or chimarra, is a small black caddis that hatches on eastern streams. Imitating and fishing its bright orange and yellow larva in February and March is something you simply must try.” Matt Grobert ties the remarkably simple and effective Chimarra Caddis on a Dai-Riki #125 size 18 emerger hook.

Video: Tying a Leadwing Coachman

Benjamin Clary — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:04:02 +0000

A great choice for drifting or swinging in cold weather, the Leadwing Coachman can imitate a variety of drowned or emerging insects, from caddisflies to mayflies. While winged wet flies were out of use for some years, they have been rediscovered, mainly because they catch so many trout, are easy, and are so much fun to fish. Matt Grobert demonstrates how to tie the classic wet fly on a Dai Riki size 12 dry fly hook.

Video Hatch: “Itu’s Bones”

Benjamin Clary — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:11:38 +0000

Itu (pronounced ee-too) Davey, a native of the Cook Islands, once made a living netting and selling bonefish. But when a movement to declare the bonefish a “sports species” started, Itu was asked if he wanted to learn to be a guide. “Itu’s Bones,” which is ready to hit the shelves, tells the story of Itu’s transformation from a subsistence gill-netter to catch-and-release fly fishing guide.

The new DVD is produce by the very talented Carl McNeil of On the Fly Productions, who brought us “Once in a Blue Moon” and “Casts That Catch Fish.”

Tippets: Braided Bamboo Fly Rod, Leaving Idaho, Flies for Wyoming Spring

Marshall Cutchin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:03:27 +0000

We’ll take the bet that a four-foot, braided bamboo fly rod wasn’t the first thing you thought of stowing in your rig for a late-winter trip. But according to Solitude Outdoors, their Braided Creek Rod offers “phenomenal” strength, flexibility, and sensitivity.
Ty Swenson writes about leaving Idaho for Seattle and the performance anxiety and pleasure that came with learning new water in “Journey to the Yakima.”
With spring peaking around the corner, it’s time to pluck out the dead soldiers and replenish the ranks of your fly boxes. Tim Wade of posts the contents of his personal wet and dry fly boxes in the Cody Enterprise. (We think he meant trout are gluttonous.)

NuCast Non-Slip Clamps

Kirk Deeter — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:02:36 +0000

NuCast Nippers

When you think about it, what’s the tool hanging from your vest or pack that gets the most attention? Your nippers? Solid answer. Your hemos are probably right there in the mix also.

Lately, I’ve been dabbling with scissors and clamps from NuCast, a company based in Ranch Santa Fe, California, and I like them. NuCast offers a fairly wide array of accessory products, from nippers to scissors, even fly boxes and reels. What I’ve landed on are the cutting and pinching instruments that have “NuFoam” non-slip grips. Maybe that’s because I have thick fingers, and I’ve left a few too many shiny (expensive) pliers and hemos on the river bottoms where I have dropped them. This grip is tacky (not in a bad way, in a touch way). They feel rubberized, and they adhere to your hands. The metal components are reliable, and consistent.

You can opt for squeeze (mitten) clamps, or more traditional finger hole instruments, but that added sense of grip and feel—especially when you’re looking one way and fumbling in another (like, when you’re playing a 20-inch brown toward the net)—does come in handy. It’s worth checking out, and might save you money down the road.

Wife’s Parting Gift to Husband: Bamboo Rod

Benjamin Clary — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:59:39 +0000

Ellen Van Oss, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has always dreamed of going to Alaska. Now, as cancer overtakes her body, she’s giving her husband a handmade bamboo rod to take on the trip they planned together. The rod’s maker, Ken Rongey, a doctor forced to retire after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, said what is special is “this setting of two people broken by diseases … who worked so hard to make the lives of others better.”

Video Hatch: “Jurassic Lake, Argentina”

Benjamin Clary — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:52:29 +0000

This video by outfitter Solid Adventures Company highlights the fishery in and around Jurassic Lake, a huge desert sink lake in southern Argentina. Presenting opportunities to bomb streamers with a switch rod or cast meaty dry flies to some very big trout, the fishery holds its own with other big-fish trout destinations.

Tippets: Venezuela Bones, Idaho Land Deal, Getting Started With Tying, Rod Making, Addition to Sinlahekin Wildlife Area

Benjamin Clary — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:44:55 +0000

Fishing the aptly named “pancake flats” of Los Roques, Venezuela for bonefish can be easy or challenging, depending on when you go, according to the blog Fly Paper.
Despite Idaho opposition, the U.S. Forest Service will likely go forward with a land deal that will secure an important habitat for steelhead, bull trout and Canada lynx. Washington state bought land that will become part of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area in an effort to protect spawning grounds of salmon and steelhead.
Terry Drinkwine provides enough information to get anyone started with fly tying. And, if tying flies is not enough, from rod seat to guides, Dave LeClair of Elbridge, New York, will get you started on making rods.

Gear Review (Video): SporTube Vac Rac Combi

timromano — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:58:30 +0000

I’ve used many forms of rod racks for vehicle transportation over the years. Racks that go inside and racks that go outside. Racks that protect fly rods and ones that don’t.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many different countries in the world photographing fly fishing for a number of media outlets and have seen many ways to get a rod from our accommodations to the water. The one rod rack that I’ve seen the most the world over is the SporTube Vac Rac Combi. It’s been almost everywhere I’ve traveled. For some reason I’ve never owned one. That is until a few weeks ago.

Since getting it I’ve been putting it through the paces and can honestly say for the price, and complete ease of set up and removal there is no better rod rack. Simply stick the two magnetic bases on your car and viola, you’re done. When finished, peel it off. Speeds up to 65mph didn’t seem to be an issue either.

Of course if you’re looking to protect your rods from trees, weather and the potential errant rock this isn’t the rack for you. The video below shows off the rack in action and some of the finer features. MSRP $89.95

Book Review: “The Royal Wulff Murders”

Marshall Cutchin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:25:43 +0000

P.G. Koch reviews a new Keith McCafferty mystery for The Houston Chronicle, noting the title comes from the fly found snagged in a dead man’s lip. ”The singer, the murdered man, the fishing guide, and the fate of the area’s wild trout swirl together into a teasing puzzle that takes Sean into the echelons of the wealthy fishermen whose luxury vacation homes butt against the more ramshackle dwellings of the locals they hire.” The Royal Wulff Murders on Amazon.