December 2009

I resolve, To Be Nicer to White Fish in 2010

by Rebecca on December 30, 2009

in Fly Fishing

~South Fork Of the Boise River~The week between Christmas and New Years (in my humble opinion), is a blank void that seems to stretch for weeks. I’m sure others have found a meaningful and time worthy purpose for these 7 days, but I just feel a dull space before the clean slate of a new year. With nothing better to do than count the hours, my mind tends to ponder the meaning of my previous year and the potential of my upcoming year.

Maybe that’s the reason for the 52nd week. This week long holding pattern is like false casting. A time to dry off the fly, look around and think carefully about where to make the next cast. Such hang time encourages one to take stock of  their life, and the panic or inspiration (depending how one looks at it) is probably why New Year Resolutions were born in the first place……..

2009 wasn’t such a great year for me and that’s all I’m going to say about that. I know as time meanders down the swift and choppy river I feel like I’ve been drifting in, the reality will calm into still water and memory will hold passionately to the good times, the big fish, the little fish and the ones that got away.

For me, that’s what a life spent outdoors does. It eases, heals, reminds, balances and teaches. During rough times, I only need to sneak away for a few hours on a river bank to ensure that eventually good memories will supersede darker times while lifes many turmoils are carried away with the current. It’s as it should be……

I titled this entry before I started writing and although I’ve gotten sidetracked with my thoughts I think I’ll leave it. I covet some good karma for the year 2010 and I shall start cultivating those good vibes by extending a Prince Nymph to the bane of my fly fishing world. The Whitefish.

Until I read this entry over at The Unaccompished Angler, I was under the assumption that ‘all things are created equal’  didn’t actually translate to ’Whitefish included’, but looking back, perhaps I was wrong. So now, today, I offer up my first New Year resolution.

I, Rebecca Anne, lady who wields a fly rod, hereby swears not to cuss, kick water, roll my eyes, yank in or otherwise throw an un-lady-like fit when she discovers a whitefish has ruthlessly grabbed one of her flies in the year 2010.

That resolution alone should earn me three good months of slack water and calm times! Ok, never mind, subtract one month off for the negative thoughts I just had about sucker fish. I’m not ready to be nicer to them. No way, not at all, not gonna happen…this year~

Rebecca

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Dear Santa, I hope you’re a Fly Fisherman…….

by Rebecca on December 23, 2009

in Fly Fishing

Because if you are there should be no problems with my X-mas wish list:

Mr. Fly Fishing Santa, you should know that after a full season of flinging flies, my waders leak and I need new ones. The leaking is more so on the right foot than the left foot, so basically, I’ve got one damp sock and one wet sock at the end of the day. That sort of water intrusion isn’t conducive to a pleasant day, especially if it’s cold out.

I promise, I was good to my waders and this isn’t a negligence situation. Several of the rivers I enjoy have vicious vegetation hazards that like to sneak up on me and lance microscopic holes for fun. Not my fault at all! I think we should just chalk it up to basic fly fishing collateral damage.

The Simms wading boots you gave me a few years ago still rock so we’re square there…..unless you have an extra pair of boots sitting at the workshop and you want to throw them in because I’m high on the ‘good’ list this year. I wouldn’t complain or anything.

I can’t believe I’m going to ask you for this Mr. Santa Fly, but here goes. If you wrap up a fly tying kit, I hereby swear to give the whip finish another try. Now, before you say anything or go checking your list, yes, you already gave me all the fly tying gear once before. If memory serves me correct,  my hair got caught in the vice, anger ensued, elk hair went flying and the pheasant I kept plucking ran away. I’m sure I donated it all to the first Trout Bum I came across. Clearly I wasn’t old enough, mature enough or prepared for such detailed creativity back then. I’m ready to give it another go. (You can blame all the blogs I now visit that show beautiful hand tied flies and recipes that make a non-tying soul drool)

Obviously nothing I create from my new fly tying whatnots will be fish worthy anytime soon, so you might as well throw in some flies tied by your Elves. A few dozen of the usual will do. I’m sorry to go here on a X-mas list, but lets get this out of the way and clear the air. (Rumors you know) If you’re running a fly tying Elf sweat shop up there, it’s time to let the little guys out! 

I’m still actively dating fly rods, so feel free to toss any sleek new sticks my direction.

My last request is a drift boat. Nothing more, nothing less, no biggie and it would fit on your sled, right? Life on the banks has been good to me, but I’d like to experience all my favorite rivers from a new angle. The few times I river hitchhiked, I really enjoyed myself so it’s time to add a new element to my fly fishing repertoire.

If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, feel free to toss in two of your most robust elves to row for me. It would be much appreciated!

Sincerely,
Rebecca Anne….who is most certainly on the good list and if for some reason I landed on the bad list, please send evidence, affidavits, and a notarized signature of the (nark) witness(es).

~Wishing everyone a Wonderful and Memorable Holiday Season~ 
May either Fly Fishing Santa, Bass Santa, Archery Santa, Hiking Santa, Hunting Santa
or Outdoors Santa visit you all.
 I have no doubts you are all on the good list….right? 

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Fishing: Once you go Bass, you never go back?

by Rebecca on December 17, 2009

in Fishing Observations,Fly Fishing For Bass

Dennis Miller aka Darth Bass

Dennis Miller aka Darth Bass

There is a dark and powerful influence out there trying to sway me to the big lure side of fishing. I’ve nicknamed this influence ”Darth Bass” because I’m certain he’s trying to convert me to the dark and warm water side of fishing. Now, in case anyone is worried, as I write this, I’m still holding strong to the fresh water world of fly fishing…I pledge allegiance to the trout………  

Darth Bass is actually Dennis Miller and he goes by the handle DTMSPINNER on twitter where the recuitment started. I would twitter something about trout and he would twitter back to me BASS, BASS, BASS. Evidence of such persuasive maneuvers can be found in his twitter stream, not to be mistaken for a trout stream………

For example: basstweet

Darth Bass didn’t stop at subliminal or blatant tweets either. I think he knew I would be a tough sell, a Luke Skywalker ambassador of the trout and fly fishing world. So he sent, via the snail mail, a package packed full of temptations and ‘whoa, what the hell do I do with these?’ that would motivate me to investigate the mysterious side of bass fishing.

Huddleston Deluxe Package of Enticement

Huddleston Deluxe Package of Enticement

Because I catch trout that are 8 inches long and one of the lures Darth Bass sent was an 8 inch long trout that looks amazingly real, I did what any trout purist would do…..I got on the phone with the only Bass Fishing Guru I know.

Terry Battisti is a bass fisherman and writer for several publications in the Bass arena. He’s also the only person I know with a bass boat, lives in Idaho and likes to talk fishing and writing at the same time with me.

When I explained my bewilderment over the lures and the attempt at bass fishing conversion by Dennis (Darth Bass) he assured me all would remain balanced in my world.

 Terry filled me in about  Huddleston Swimbaits (he likes them and has caught bass with them) and promised they were not likely, by touch alone, to possess my trout soul or corrupt my fly fishing heart, but instead might show me a new side of fishing in general. One that I might actually find fun and enjoyable…….(double gasp)

So plans are now made. Rebecca, the fly fishing, trout loving disciple will be going bass fishing with my new Huddleston Swimbaits (<~~link to their website) come April or May with Terry as my bass guide. I’ll go ahead and admit this now ~ Damnit Darth Bass, I think you got me, I’m excited to go Bass fishing now! Someone help me….

In the meantime, I did ask Terry one final and important question.

Me: “Umm, Terry, Dennis also sent me a Huddleston Shirt. I’m sure the symbol on the front is like the dark mark for bass fishing or something, but I really like the shirt. Do you think it would be blasphemy if I wore a Bass shirt while fly fishing for trout?”
Terry (laughing): “I have no doubt you could get away with it.”
Me: “Ok, good. I don’t want a pack of fly fisherman or bass fisherman after me for fuzzin up the lines.”

Rebecca

 

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Moving and the Cement Trout Pond

by Rebecca on December 15, 2009

in Fly Fishing

~Such natural potential~

~Such natural potential~

I know, I know. I abandoned the online world for over a week without so much as a decent explanation or goodbye. I could say I was forced to take an emergency fly fishing trip to New Zealand or that I was kidnapped and forced to fly fish in Montana for a week, but wishful thinking could be construed as a fishing tale and I would never do such a thing on a fishing blog…..you know, spray paint reality with fanciful daydreams.

The boring version reads like this… I was moving homes. That is, moving homes during the coldest days on record in over 10 years in my little city. It was a miserable experience to put it in G-rated terms and I would not recommend moving in zero degree temps to anyone.

Why is it that I can go fishing during a nasty storm, freeze my arse off, subject my fingers and toes to frostbite and still have a great, albeit uncomfortable, time? Or why can I go hunting in sub-zero temps where I think my toes will never thaw out and I’m certain my eyeballs have frozen to the inside of my eyelids, but by gawd, I still sign up for another round each year because it was so enjoyable? Moving does not fall under the same umbrella of ignorable misery.

Now, usually when people move into a new house the family members might barter for certain furniture or fight over the biggest rooms. With this new home the huge debate hovers over a bonus located in the backyard. There are some people in my home, I shall call them – kids– who call said bonus a “swimming pool!!” while someone else –that would be me– has christened the blue hole that happens to have a slide and diving board, “the future cement trout pond of Rebecca Anne.”

My daughters are not amused by my stroke of brilliant fishing genius which is a bit of a road block to my swanky idea. I even mentioned that trout are basically harmless and surely the daughters and fish could co-splash in the same body of water, but that was met with typical eye rolls and exasperated sighs. I don’t get it……..teenagers these days totally lack imagination!

I may not win the debate about turning the swimming pool into a trout pond, but as a Mother I reserve the right to annoy and torment my daughters as often as possible. I see dry fly practice across the top water, nymph testing under the water and various other lure experiments happening in my backyard in the near future.

I may even put on my waders before I wander out back, just to ensure my daughters think I’m the wackiest fisherman they ever encountered~

Rebecca

~Testing out the casting perch~

~Testing out the casting perch~

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Warning Signs and Other Perplexing Ideas

December 4, 2009

This is the second edition of Signs that make a person think…What The Hell? The first entry of signs that I had collected from various places is located here ~ Warnings and Other Reasonable Guidelines and I’m happy to say that entry inspired a few people to send over more signs….. Without further adieu ~ This sign was [...]

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Fraudulent Fishing Behaviors

December 2, 2009

They say you can judge the character of a man by the company he keeps. (I’ll assume that principle applies to woman as well)  I know I gravitate to those I would consider like minded individuals who enjoy the same things I do. So basically that means I hang out with fisher types who consider a day on the water superior [...]

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