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Beulah Blog

I got 99 problems but a 7 weight ain’t one

July 2, 2015 By Chris O'Donnell Leave a Comment

Welcome to Central Oregon, the land of trout, steelhead, and… bass?!  For those who have been asleep the past ten years several of Central Oregon’s high cascade lakes have become home to substantial populations of hearty largemouth bass.  Keep in mind this isn’t a post about conservation or invasive species.  Its about bass fishing with Beulah’s platinum 9′ 9″ 7 weight.

Central Oregon fly fishing for largemouth bass with Beulah Fly Rods.

Every summer I have a lull in my guiding schedule just before steelhead start to run in the Lower Deschutes.  I have made a habit of heading up to the lakes near Bend during this time to escape the heat and do the stillwater thing.  This time I was joined by my father in law Bruce Fox, lifelong Bend resident and fisherman.

For Bruce’s birthday each year “the kids” usually pitch in and we get him a Beulah rod.  He has built quite the arsenal.  One of the recent additions was the platinum series 9′ 9″ 7 weight.  We decided to give this rod a field test chasing ole’ bucket mouth.

A few notes about this rod…

Sight casting giant streamers to hungry bass with the platinum  9' 9" 7 weight.

Accuracy:  The way we do it this type of fishing is almost 100% sight casting so fly placement is key.  You have to land the fly behind or off to the side of the bass so that the fish thinks it’s his idea to investigate the fly.  The 9′ 9″ 7 wt is deadly accurate at medium to (relatively) long distance even casting huge not-so-aerodynamic flies.  

Delicacy:  Summer conditions on the Cascade Lakes are often calm and sunny.  This year we have low water.  If the fly line lands too splashy say goodbye to garbage gut… he didn’t grow that big by entertaining sloppy presentations.  The 7 weight line lands softer than heavier lines, providing us with many opportunities under spooky conditions.

Safety:  In our boat safety is an attitude!  These bass are looking for a meal, not a snack.  We obliged by casting giant streamers that I found in the saltwater fly bins at Deschutes Angler.  These flies are big, and the hooks that they are tied on are down right scary.  Now I trust my father in law to do his very best to avoid snagging me, but I am a little bit gun shy these days after taking a size 2 owner to the face back in April (winter steelheading accident).  I have to admit that the extra nine inches of rod made me feel much more comfortable having a caveman sized hook zipping overhead.

We took turns fishing and managing the boat, so we never had to fight over the 7 weight.

It was a fun day, even with tough fishing and 90+ degree heat.  We caught a handful of bass and even a few nice rainbows sipping callibaetis (the seven weight worked well for that also, not too heavy).  We brought a few different rods but since we took turns fishing and managing the boat we never had to fight over the 7 weight.

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Springtime…or, Rivers and Woods, Coming Alive.

June 3, 2015 By Mark Martin Leave a Comment

Several years ago, some friends and I came upon what became one of my favorite outdoor films:  a production called Signatures.  It embodied most of what I believe in about the work and play I take part in; but to the point, something said by one of the film’s featured Japanese fly-fishermen stayed with me.  He said that in Japan, they didn’t fish for particular species as much as they fished seasons – one season, a particular trout would be available; as that season faded, the cherry salmon or some other species would show up or start feeding. This glimpse of fishing lifestyle struck a chord with me then, as I realized that I’ve ended up living and fishing a lot like this.

In central Idaho, most of the woods and waters are still pretty wild.  Rivers are freestone and vary widely in flow and temperature throughout the year.  By late fall, say, most of the fishing in this area is laid to rest, replaced by backcountry skiing the snow that becomes next year’s river.  In the spring, the rivers swell with this runoff and rush greenish-brown and icy for several weeks.  As the snowpack and its attendant melt recedes, the landscape is just starting to fluoresce into its short-lived vibrant green, and some of the trout that we identify with these freestone rivers begin to creep back into the summer places from which we know them.  In other words, we fish seasons.

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The middle of spring’s season brings back into the rivers a predator fish unlike any other I know of.  The bull trout hasn’t had an easy go of things – in a time recent enough that your grandfather could remember it, a bounty was actually placed on them with a cash reward for their tails.  The theory was, of course, that the bull trout’s appetite for chinook salmon smolt was responsible for the salmon’s decline – never mind the overharvest, slash-and-burn logging, downstream construction of massive fish killing dams, or any human factor.  So the bull trout were intentionally killed by anglers, then decimated by the same salmon decline for which they were blamed.  Put in these contexts, it’s a testament to their overall toughness that they’ve managed to survive as a species at all.  In some out-of-the way places, they persist, and maybe even almost thrive.  They’re never an easy drive to get to, they’re never exactly abundant, and there’s never a guarantee that you’ll even hook one.  The camping’s not the most comfortable this time of year either, but this is a hunt that is always worthy of the season.

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They’ll eat dries every now and then, but adding this chunk of tungsten makes it a better bet.

Did I mention the fishing for them isn’t the simplest either?  Honestly, if I thought I needed fewer split shot to get to these fish, I’d use fewer split shot.  I guess one could say this is trout fishing, but like the fish themselves, it’s a pretty unique form.  In no other situation have I ever caught such ugly, beautiful, angry fish so close to my rod tip, or seen such an aggressive fish be so wary of the goings-on above the water’s surface.  More often than I probably ought to admit, I’ve watched bull trout, who are spoken of as being voracious to the point of true stupidity, utterly ignore my fly – hell, several flies – on swing after swing.  The more I find them, the more I learn about them, the more I respect them.

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In this season, my 9’9” Platinum 7-weight thrives.  Throwing a half-ounce of split shot and a cone-weighted tube streamer.  And by “throwing” I mean getting it anywhere from ten feet away to across the run to that little boulder cluster that might be just enough of a current break.    It’s got enough length to manage what a couple buddies and I half-jokingly call “Czech streamering” (more on that in another post, perhaps), but is compact enough to sneak through the willow tangle of a tight little canyon.  And though you can probably get the biggest, toughest bulls to hand with a smaller rod, I’d prefer not to exhaust them.  Even with this setup I pretty much always feel like we’re an even enough match.  I’ve said it before, they’re tough.

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I discovered bull trout the first week I lived in Idaho, and it’s been a love affair ever since.  I love out-of-the-way, I love hidden in plain sight, and I love the glamor-free approach that bull trout demand.  I love how they sometimes crush a baitfish fly in a 180 degree head to tail turn, and how they sometimes seem to just gently materialize as growing tension upon it; as if to eat something before it knows it’s dead.

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This fly knew it was dead as soon as that mouth closed on it.

 

This week, I watched a second bull trout circle and slash around the one I was fighting, trying to eat my tube fly that had slid up my leader.  A couple times I saw it actually take the second fly, shake it like a dog with a rope toy, and release it once it realized something wasn’t right.  I landed the one, and never did tempt the other back.  Half an hour and three or four holes later, I hooked the most vibrantly colored cutthroat I’ve ever seen.

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I’ve never seen one so well-dressed.

 

I’ll admit that some of my favorite things about the season are actually not in the river at all.  When the spring rain comes around and switches off with some warmer days, some good food grows in the woods around here.  It’s been a great season for mushrooms such as morels, and other little wild edibles.  In fact, I found a good wild onion patch right after I released that cutthroat.  They ended up garnishing a batch of posole, and also transplanted into the greenhouse at the warehouse I guide out of.  Hopefully they’ll seed out and keep our food seasoned for a few years to come.  Anyways, that’s all I have for now.  The rain just let up a little, and it’s probably time I headed to the river; this season isn’t going to fish itself.

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Riverside wild onions for a Mexican stew.

 

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Morels, fresh or dried, are amazing.

 

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The Next Big Thing

May 22, 2015 By Darrel DeLeon Leave a Comment

The Next Big Thing

The next big thing in the fly fishing world? Really? Seems like most of the advances are relatively small; new products are okay but nothing really rocks the boat.  However… I just may have found the game changer in the trout world.

I had my first taste of “swinging” flies to wild steelhead in Alaska just last year.  I was nothing short of astonished and amazed by the relative ease and productivity of Spey casting a 13-foot rod and throwing line 80 feet across the river.  Instantly fascinated, I was determined to increase my skill at this increasingly popular discipline.  So with some advanced planning, my Texas-based fishing partner made a swing up through Montana last week.  After two days of epic trout fishing on the Missouri River, we took off for the Sandy River Spey Clave (SRSC) at Oxbow Park near Sandy Oregon. I knew I’d be completely out of my element, but was intrigued and excited to try my hand at this technique, under the expert tutelage of many Spey casting maestros.  Living up to its reputation, the SRSC was crawling with the best in the business.  Humble and friendly, every one of these professionals were eager to impart their wisdom upon anyone willing to ask for help. Bruce Berry, Steve and Tim Rajeff, Simon Gawsworth, Klaus Frimor, Jerry French, Mia and Marty Sheppard, Mike McCune and the extremely funny George Cook were just a few of those on hand at the SRSC.

Beulah representative Bruce Berry was on hand for personalized casting lessons and wowed with three fly tying demonstrations.  There are no reps more impressive than Bruce—he is a masterful tactician.  I watched as time and again, anglers approached him with seemingly unsolvable technical questions or issues.   He’d diagnose the problem in a millisecond, then follow it up with a fitting solution.  I also caught Mike McCune’s presentation on “Trout Spey” rods.  Mike has fished this new style of rods extensively on numerous western rivers including the Missouri River, my home water.  Using 11ft 2 or 3wt rods to delicately present a dry fly down steam is an excellent way to fish spooky trout. Using the same rod, but this time swinging soft hackle flies on a tight line is a sure fire way to get lots of tugs! “Tug is the Drug” as streamer junkies always say! Can’t wait to open my mailbox and see my new trout spey rod waiting there for me…

If you missed the SRSC this year, don’t worry, they have been going strong for 15 years. Its is a totally free event and even most of the meals are donated.  But you must get with it early because the casting classes fill up rapidly.  Get it on your calendar for next year, its well worth your time!

Bruce Berry coaching Texas Native Mike Aldridge through the perfect cast.

Bruce Berry coaching Texas Native Mike Aldridge through the perfect cast.

Bruce Berry teaching me the basics of Spey Casting

Bruce Berry teaching me the basics of Spey Casting

Literally hundreds of rods from all the manufactures were available to take for a test drive.

Literally hundreds of rods from all the manufactures were available to take for a test drive.

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Making Due…

April 29, 2015 By Darrel DeLeon Leave a Comment

Making Due…

The rain…oh my gosh, the rain…did I mention the rain?  In a mere 24 hours over 2 inches of the “R” stuff bled from the skies and it was not done yet.  Thirty-six hours after I’d enjoyed an epic fishing adventure in gin-clear water at a manageable 1,170cfs, the river now resembled chocolate milk raging at 14,700cfs.  This, however, is a common occurrence in the spring on freestone rivers.

Three days earlier… Rugby, my 100lb yellow lab and I, jumped in the Tundra and headed 5 hours west in pursuit of Idaho’s wild, native West Slope Cutthroat Trout.  I learned from friends that Pat and Mike, owners of Northwest Outfitters in Coeur d’ Alene (CDA) are friendly, knowledgeable and “fishy” dudes.  Once there, I quickly briefed them on my intent and they directed me to the CDA River 30 minutes east of CDA. We also planned a trip to the St Joe for the following week.

An hour later I was reeling in my first CDA River West Slope cutthroat as Rugby swam circles around me, as eager as I was to see this beautiful specimen.  In Idaho, West Slope trout are in a protected class and are catch and release only.  These wild, naturally reproducing fish must be returned to the water immediately. The fish were incredibly beautiful, had broad shoulders and put up a great fight. (Mike and Pat lived up to their reputation)

The morning after the rains stopped, Pat called to cancel our adventure on the St Joe, as it was raging 10,000cfs beyond what is safe to float and fish.  Not wanting to waste a trip, I had to think outside the box.  A couple of days later, a 24-hour reprieve from the rain allowed us to go fishing. Pat took me out to a lake that had once been hayfields.  Now called Haydon Lake, it is surrounded by houses and hosts a variety of species.  I was not looking forward to rowing my drift boat a mile into the wind to drift back to the dock.  Pat surprised me by pulling out a small electric motor and we zipped out across the lake.  Maybe zipped is a bit of an exaggeration, but compared to my rowing speed we moved quickly.

Moments later I felt a small tug on my new Beulah 5wt, and I found myself face-to-face with an 11-inch Crappie. The next cast yielded a large mouth bass. After 30 or so of the small, warm water species we worked the banks in hopes of enticing a large pike out of the weeds, but they were not cooperating. Without fear of snagging the bank behind me I got the chance to really stretch the Guide Series II Rod.  Seventy foot casts were a breeze, making this a great rod for the long and short game. All in all, it was a great day of Idaho fishing and I added a few more species to my list of fish I’ve caught on a fly rod.  I’m only about 300 fish species behind the great Jeff Currier…

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Turning Heads-Fish and Human

April 6, 2015 By Darrel DeLeon Leave a Comment

I was so impressed with Beulah’s new rods I swapped out all of my client rods with the new 2015 Guide Series II line-up.  As a guide, it is vital to have an arsenal of rods that perform under every condition Mother Nature will throw at you, including those miserable +40 mph winds that make you question your profession. They must be able to handle the surprise 8-pound brown lurking in a deep run and quickly transition to 17-inch rainbows slurping midges in dead calm slack water around the next bend. These rods shoot line like a laser, and at the last millisecond, lay down a feather soft presentation.

This past January, I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days at the annual Fly-Fishing Show in Denver, CO. If you have not attended, it’s an enormous gathering of the fly-fishing industry’s top professionals, business owners, a handful of celebrities and thousands of fly-fishing enthusiasts.  It’s a fabulous opportunity for all to demo new gear, catch a seminar from the best in the business and socialize with those fortunate enough to make a living in this industry.

I am a bit of a gear junkie and always eager to thoroughly test the next best product. Like other industries, the fly-fishing landscape is dominated by a few large companies and dotted by dozens of smaller ones trying to make their mark.  While the top companies may never be dethroned, the smaller ones do force the industry leaders to keep pace with the rapid changes and demands to maintain their place on the podium.

Beulah Fly Rod Company is tucked away in small, but beautiful Medford, Oregon.  The Rogue River wanders just a stone throw away from this southwestern Oregon town, making it the perfect fly rod testing ground. This gem of a company is shaking up the industry with a full series of rods that consistently outperform those commanding twice the price. Owner James Shaughnessy himself manned his company’s booth at the Denver show, accompanied by 15-foot rod division distance caster world record holder Travis Johnson and professional product representative Bruce Berry.

One thing the fishing enthusiast may inadvertently overlook is turn-around time and customer service when something inevitably breaks.  Beulah has a stockpile of replacement rods and parts and will typically have your repair or replacement headed back to you within just a few days.  As a guide, this is something that cannot be overlooked.  There are companies in the industry that can take “months” to repair your rod.  In my line of work, that is simply intolerable.  I know I can rely on the folks at Beulah Fly Rods to keep my clients’ lines in the water.  So, fresh off the production bench, I strung up my new rods and took them on a 4000-mile journey across three states, five rivers and even a still water.  Stay tuned…

The release

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Keeping it Local; Swinging for Swinging’s Sake.

April 4, 2015 By Mark Martin Leave a Comment

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Finally, in mid-February, I got a spare day while the sun shone.  Hadn’t touched a fly rod for a good long while, and hadn’t touched a fish in a little longer.  For a couple months it had seemed like we were having a real winter-  powder days, temps up and down, decent snowpack stability…and then something happened.  I guess it happened all over the northwest, and it was called February.  It was disorienting, and kind of disgusting, until one got used to it.  It was dry, it was warm, and it started sucking August and September’s water right out of our mountains.  Anyway, it took us a while, but my friend Stevie and I realized things were a month or two ahead of schedule.  I patched a new crack in my old canoe with Gorilla tape, and we floated an afternoon on a tailwater that runs an hour or so of reckless driving out of town.

To be clear, it was a steelhead time of the year.  A little less than a day’s drive away, chrome-bright fish were ascending coastal rivers.  Three hours north, summer-run fish hold in the Big Rivers and will sometimes eat swung flies like it’s early November when the water warms up….why, then, do we choose to stick close to home (at least for the moment), and swing up trout with our spey rods?

Well, for one thing, because we can.

For another, the ugly ones look like this:

 

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Hard to imagine a fish that eats hard enough to rip the running line out of your hand sipping BWO’s for its dinner. A 12’6″ 6-weight, 7.5 feet of T11, and….an inland tailwater..? Well, why not?

 

 

Equally, we do it because it’s what we have.  I don’t always have the opportunity to drive a day away or even three hours away to chase steelhead.  I almost always, though, have the opportunity to shorten that drive, and chase trout that consistently reach modest steelhead size in classically swingy runs.

I know I’m not the only one who’s noticed the growing popularity of swinging for trout.  Can’t say I see many flyfishing neophytes picking up a small spey, or starting with soft hackles and muddlers, but it’s at least gotten ahold of some of the more dedicated.  I’ve even seen a few videos showing up here and there that (rightfully, I say) make it look pretty soulful.  Personally, I like what I think it means about the fly anglers that are taking up the trout swing.  Because what I see are anglers who are patient, who are slowing down.  Anglers who are trading their bobbers (I’m not knocking it- I’ve nymphed a lot, and I enjoy it)  and higher fish-counts for a change of pace.  It’s a slower pace, to be sure; but that’s the good part.  I’ve learned to slow down in a lot of ways from swinging flies for trout and steelhead both, and I think as a result, I enjoy fishing more than ever, not just catching fish.  Turns out, you can be focused on presenting a deadly swing, and also still take in the fantastic wild creatures and wild lands that tend to surround trout and/or steelhead rivers.

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Stevie’s Muddler variation gets things done with consistency.

 

 

Anyways, back in the spring-like reality of February,  Stevie and I did pretty well.  It’s not often you get to switch off, fish for fish, several times in the same run.  If I’m being honest, I’d say we were elated.  My 12’6 Platinum 6-weight got its best workout in a long time, and nothing that got tied to it was born and raised in a building.  Would either of us have traded the afternoon for a scary-big winter chromer with sea lice?  Well, …..maybe.  Not sure I could even answer that, though I’m the one who asked it.   But it doesn’t matter, because we couldn’t trade it, anyway; and what we had right in front of us was more than enough.

 

First of the day, on a Protubed fox-and-feather temple dog-ish something or other.

First of the day, on a Protubed fox-and-feather temple dog-ish something or other.

 

In the month and a half since, things have been a little slower.  The dam on the upstream reservoir opened quite a bit, no doubt to fill the suffering impoundments away off where it’s dryer; so the fish are a little more spread out, and you’ve got to work a little more for them.  Just how I like it.

Last of the day, on another nameless Protube thing.

Last of the day, on another nameless Protube thing.

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The Futaleufu River

March 20, 2015 By Jason Atkinson Leave a Comment

The Futaleufu River is not known as a two-handed paradise, but it is paradise for fin chasers no less. Certainly the wind is famous, yes is the long hard road there, but between the late dinners among world-class anglers preceded by the last hours casting a world-class fish in the shadow of Patagonian mountains, there is something very personal, very special, and yet surreal about the entire experience. I’ve wanted to fish in Patagonia since I was 13 imagining how big those Chilean rapids are and how clear the Argentina side of the Futa is. Both exceeded my expectations in sheer volume, power, and beauty. I know we were the first to fish several runs in Chile hidden between Class Five rapids. Normally people cast with helmets on when teaching someone else- but we kept in on for the white water and rocks. In Argentina side where these pictures are taken, the river is big, smooth, painfully clear washing over volcanic rocks and settlement, and windy like standing behind a Boeing 757 on roll-up.

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I didn’t take a knife to a gunfight, I took the new Beulah 5 weight Onyx spey and had a hard time believing I was pouring more fuel on the spey revolution in Argentina, but this rod certainly did. Everyone wanted to “try” it and then didn’t understand my Spanglish when I wanted it back. It shot bullets in the wind, mended with precision, and had the famous Beulah bend, lush and full bodied as my evening’s Melbec, once connected to these fish.

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February 8, 2015. Stained water, rain, the CZ 5 wt.

February 12, 2015 By Bernie Weston Leave a Comment

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Well, another good day for the Beulah CZ 5 wt.

 

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Same fish. #16 Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear. Water too fast to fish any other way. It was windy, pissing rain and cold. We had a blast.

 

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The rabbit gets out of the hole, goes around the tree and leaves. No. The rabbit avoids the hole and goes around the tree three times and …….

 

Hey Jared, the fish are over here…..

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Seriously, they’re over here. Long-leader-it, I have a spool in the car.

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This is prototype number 2 for the Beulah 5 wt. CZ rod. It’s my build and it was a great performer today.

 

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Wind knot? Well…the rain is blowing sideways instead of down. Getting tired, cold and ready for a barley soda.  Let’s pack it in. Nobody else is out, wonder why?

 

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Warm and dry awaits.

I stopped carrying a net today. I think the fish do better in shallow water with less handling. It was a lot easier to get a picture and release them so I’m going to try net-less fishing.

The CZ rod was a champ. I’m really glad I took the risk of building it.

 

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October, 2014 “Hey Jared, the McCloud is ‘Blown'”

February 4, 2015 By Bernie Weston 1 Comment

And we all know how rivers like to be blown…plus I have a new camera. I have a Nikon 1 AW1. A waterproof, interchangeable lens high tech battle proven beast.

Stayed in the same house in McCloud again, but this time we fished below the lower falls and into the Nature Conservancy property. We were the only people on the McCloud and nobody had been to the Nature Conservancy property in over 3 weeks. The Fly Shop – “The McCloud is Blown”, Ted Fay –  “The McCloud is blown”. Well the McCloud was definitely blown because it was pretty relaxed and congenial when we got there.

On the drive up we stopped and fished the Upper Sacramento. It was around Lunchtime so we scarfed down some chicken legs I grilled the night before and raced each other down to the river. We were armed with our Beualah 5 wt. CZ homebuilts and our 11’7″ “mystery rods”, modified Burk leaders, my sculpin jigs and Bird’s nests, Hare’s Ears and P.T.’s .

Just look at the pics:

Jared, there aren’t any fish there.

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They’re over here.

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Stop fooling around and get over here. We’ll alternate casts, just get over here! Now! Hurry, get the camera, another one!

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More of the same….DSC_0101

 

Went back to the stretch above the lower falls of the McCloud where we did really well last trip. The water was skinny and clear. Nothing going on here.

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Just for the hell of it we scrambled down and forged the river just below the falls. It was sickening. We caught a lot of fish stripping muddler minnows and sculpins jigs.

 

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We weren’t alone….

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It’s hard to see but a bunch of otters were devouring fish under the overhang opposite us. The white specks are fish.

Anyway, the McCloud is “blown” somewhere below here. I thought it would be a great experience for Jared to take him to the Nature Conservancy property on his first trip to the lower McCloud the next morning. Here we are. Nobody is there, because of the blown-ness of the river and the log shows that we are the first anglers there in more than three weeks. That’s crazy. Everybody from everywhere has fished, will fish or has dreamed of fishing this water. I don’t care for it personally. Upstream suits me better. But Jared had a great time, as the pictures will tell. The Beulah 5’s, that’s all I’m saying.

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This is what “blown” looks like. It’s not crystal clear.

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I got bored with the Nature Conservancy water. No more dinks. On to Rattlesnake Hole, let’s get something going to wake me up.  #14 tan Bird’s Nest on upper dropper. Notice the fish’s girth with respect to my forearm. It’s around 23″ or greater. I carry a tape with me.

So, the Beulah 5 wt. CZ rod emits the proper frequencies under load to attract decent fish.

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I’m tired of talking, here’s an album:



 

I thought I’d clarify the “mystery rod”. It is a 5 wt. Beulah Spey rod that I built as a single hander. I doubt we’ll put it into production. I wanted you to get a sense of what product development and research for Beulah is like. Think about what would work better than what’s already available, build it, fish it, refine it. Repeat.

 

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Red Hot Winter Red Fishing

January 13, 2015 By Ken Jones Leave a Comment

 redfish, on the fly, fishing., port aransas

On the island town of Port Aransas in South Texas, winter-time is frowned upon by the locals except for a few reasons. We prefer board shorts and flip flops but hey, who doesn’t?

Despite the blistering cold north winds that prevail this time of year there are a several things that continue to give me the warm and fuzzies… If you suffer from chronic cabin fever like me, now is a great time to call up your favorite guide and go nail some blue-tailed redfish!

For one, the redfish this time of year are schooled up thick and I can assure you they have put on their feed bags! Recent examination of the stomach contents of a few redfish have revealed hefty amounts of thumbnail size crabs of various types as well as lady-finger shrimp… While the cast and retrieve are typically run at a much slower pace, the bites from these redfish are very consistent and extremely predictable. Finding these schooled up fish can be tricky and that’s why hiring your favorite fly guide can mean the difference between searching miles and miles of empty flats versus working the same mini flat all day putting numerous redfish in the boat.

redfish, blue tailed, fly fishing, port aransas

Secondly, the “summer tourista” boat traffic is long gone, and only a fraction of the boaters remain. While most guys have stowed their fishin gear in exchange for camo underwear and shotguns, that (duck) season closes Jan25 and then, only the brave will thrive. This translates into large groups of redfish that are no longer spooked by the sound of some yahoo running his shallow water skiff across the flat only 50yds from you as if you weren’t there. And overcast skies and moderate winds provide camouflage for us. It makes it harder for us to see the fish but the better point is that it makes it harder for the fish to see us!

Port aransas, Texas, Coast, Fly fishing, redfish

Sight casting opportunities can feel non-existent in the winter due to heavily overcast skies, and trying to coordinate your schedule to nail a clear blue bird day will make everyone loose their hair. Nonetheless, we do get those days and if that is what you want, put down a deposit to get on the books and your guide will certainly call you the day before all goes bluebird! Being ready to strike on short notice can make for a glorious day of sight casting in skinny water during the winter as the sunshine will draw boat loads of fish into the shallows to warm up.

Even in cloudy weather though, these redfish stay hungry and provide exciting action on the water with no-one in sight. Fortunately there are so many different places to launch that it is easy to avoid the worst of the strong winds and rough seas. This means we can get to these hotspots without having to cross the open bays where things are much more dicey. redfish, on the fly, fishing, port aransas, texas, coast

Staying dry is the secret to staying warm. By putting some thought and maybe a little cash into the clothes you wear a cold day on the water will be far from miserable. STAY AWAY from cotton fabrics!!! Synthetic materials are the way to go this time of year… not only are they lightweight but it will help keep you dry and comfortable. Cotton will absorb moisture and will have you chilled like a peel-n-eat shrimp within an hour. Personally I wear a double layer of under armor leggings and tops, and then at least one layer of fleece (top and bottom)… Next to go on is an essential wind jacket followed by my favorite Patagonia outer shell (jacket and pants). This shell will keep the wind and rain from reaching the core layers… The synthetic materials will help evaporate any sweat away from your body too. Multiple layers of wool socks, each layer being thicker than the one before is critical. Your hands and feet will get the brunt of the cold no doubt and to combat the stinging pain in the hands I wear Alpaca fingerless gloves. I chose alpaca wool because it is well known for being warmer than regular wool especially when wet. I’ve used sheep’s wool for years but once I experienced the true benefits of alpaca it has become a necessity that is worth every penny.

So, if you haven’t already called your fly guide and booked your next winter rendezvous with a redfish you might also want to know that winter time also means excellent chances at Gator Trout! The speckled trout are harder to locate and getting them to eat can be tough but don’t be surprised when you hook into another lousy redfish only to find out it is a Big ‘Ole TROUT!!! For all these reasons… this is why I love winter-time fly fishing! Keep your hooks sharp and your retrieves slow. Call Captain Kenjo! It’s a great bite this time of year!

trout, sea, gator, speck, fly, fishing, winter, texas, port aransas

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: coast, fishing, fly, opal 8wt, port aransas, redfish, saltwater, south, texas

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