It's All About Comfort ~ Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

One thing for sure, I can't fish if I'm not comfortable.  If something is pulling, falling, or just being a nuisance... It's going, going gone.  I will let you in on a little secret.  (Well, guess it's not anymore)  I must have been in a brain fog last year when I purchased my waders at half price.  I was in a hurry to buy whatever was on sale.  The fly shop had one pair left on the shelf.  It wasn't my size, but I said that it would work.  Ugh... Mistake #1.  Size matters!  I am wearing an extra tall Men's wader that has a size 13 foot.... Ok.  Call me "Bozo The Clown"!  I deserve it... But, after three "leaky wader" repair jobs (From my own clumsy falls), I'm just about ready to say "NEXT"!!  Ahhh... The Christmas Wish List.  And in the right size this time.

Seriously, being comfortable puts me into my better fishing days...absolutely!  When I don't have to worry about my hip pack falling down off my butt towards my knees or my net swinging until I put it down my backside into my waders... I'm good!  So, we have made some adjustments to ease the anxiety of being all "loosey goosey"...

Sunday Tippet ~ "When you’re on the move, the Stealth Atom Sling comfortably hauls a day’s worth of gear on your back. Stop to change flies and it slides around to the front for easy access. Inside, the Stealth Atom Sling has room for two large fly boxes and has organizing pockets with hook-and-loop closures for all the necessary doodads. Need a flat work surface? The molded, front-zippered panel drops open like a miniature fly-tying table. Tough, highly water-resistant 840-denier coated ballistics nylon with DWR (durable water repellent) finish sheds moisture and protects your goods. More details: top-access mesh-lined security pocket; internal 100% waterproof phone/camera pocket; single external water-bottle pocket with security keeper; air-mesh back panel; highly water-repellent exterior YKK® zippers; fully adjustable neck strap." 
Patagoniadotcom

And modeling today will be none other than the River Damsel... enjoying a nice, quiet Sunday afternoon...

Ok...So, you might not like attaching all the gizmos in front like I have done.  But, convenience is the name of the game for me.  If I don't have to swing around the pack too many times, all the better. 

I love the inside pockets and there is plenty of room for several fly boxes, sunscreen, munchies, etc.  Then, there is the waterproof bag.  In goes the phone and camera.  All safe and secure.  And a work table to boot!

And finally, I have a place for my net.  I don't wear a vest, so I couldn't attach it to my back.  And sticking it down into my waders, just wasn't very comfortable.  So, that problem has now been eminated!  One last item, the water bottle holder is a very nice thing to have...not all slings have that.

 I'm afraid though, that the wader problem is still existent for the time being.  Yes, I am tall, but not tall enough for the waders I have... Sheesh!  I better find another pair quick!  It's starting to get cold out there...

Until next time... 

I will stay warm and enjoy my Sunday Funnies...

Falling Into Fall ~ Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

You know that it was going to happen.  Fall is here.  My favorite time of the year.  I absolutely love fall fishing.  The colors of the trout are more vibrant than any other time of the year.  But, along with the crisp, beautiful air and scenery...comes slippery river bottoms and moss.  And one Damsel down!  Oh, it could have been avoided too, if I had listened to the little voice within, telling me that it was time to go home. 

It was a cool 32 degrees when the day started.  I met my friend Jeri at the fly shop and we stopped for breakfast, giving the air outside a little time to warm up!  When we got to the river, it was a dry fly day.  Brown trout were jumping.  A nice BWO hatch took place and the trout heads were rising every five minutes it seemed!  But, would they take anything that I had to offer???  No...  It was a long five hours and it looked like a skunking was upon me.  I kept looking at the overcast sky getting darker as the afternoon came to a close.  I told Jeri it was time for me to head home about ten times!  Seriously.  But, you know... the line goes back in as you walk towards the car.  Finally, I meant it.  Packed it all up and said my goodbyes.  Halfway back to the car, I get a phone call from Jeri saying that she just caught a fish on a dry!  "Come back, Emily"!!!  Ohhhh... What to do???...  I had to get home... I was already running late from my promised time of arrival.  (Nothing new there.  Haha.)  I turned around to try one more time...

As I turned around my hip pack to grab a couple of flies... Something just told me not to put on a dry.  Yes, the fish were still slurping.  But, it was getting darker and I couldn't see the fly on the water anyway.  And they certainly weren't receptive to my offerings before.  So, I put on my go-to fly anytime during the year... the 22 black zebra midge.  And led by a small hares ear.  I figured the smaller the better since I hadn't had success as of yet.  After another twenty minutes of no bites, I reeled it up and told Jeri that I was heading upstream to our "glory" hole where I can always get into fish.  Don't know why I hadn't thought of that earlier!  (Too mesmerized by the jumpers)  Duh...  Anyway, casting my new Redington 8 ft - 4 wt (btw...the classic trout is on close out) for the first time since purchase... I wanted to have my first fish on it.  I didn't really want to wait until I hit a small stream.  Well, five to ten minutes later, I did.

Never Say Never!  I am usually a die hard when it comes to fishing.  Look what happened at River X on the last day... My biggest fish ever as the sun went down.  I don't want this to become a trend however!  But, it does have me thinking that during the winter months...why be on the water so dang early???!!!  Ha.  Seriously, I might as well become an afternoon fly girl.  And sleep in like a few other people that I know.  Lol.  Ok... So, I was de-skunked.  And then it happened.  Couldn't get out without a "splash".  Heck, it is called "Jeri's Fall Hole" for good reason... An epic dunk a few months back.  And now it was my turn.  Silly ol' RD!!  Only a few feet from the bank and slipped on some rocks.  It's a third time for this knee... I'm just lucky it's still intact!  Time to leave... Bye Jeri!!  She said that she would follow me out.  Well, when we got to the previous hole that had given me so much trouble, she stopped.  Oh no!  I gotta get home!  Yeah... you know what happened next.  I had to throw that midge back in...just to end my curiousity.  Even though I was dripping wet and a little bit cold.  Would they take a midge too?  Or would they still be slurping after those silly little BWO's...

INCOMING!!! I would like to think that this was the same guy that had eluded me for a couple of hours...


My work was done.  And it did kind of feel like work this day... ugh.  But, still had fun as always.

Now, about falling.  I am not alone... Actually in good company!  Mel and Howard, (click for their sad tales) both have stories of their "little accidents".   So, maybe it is a trend of some sort.  Like an initiation into a sport.  If you don't do it... You haven't lived the experience in it's fullness!  Is that it?  Ok... It makes me feel better thinking that anyway.  So, here is a "tippet" for those of us who have "fallen"... So to speak.   

Sunday Tippet:   Vitamin D has helped prevent falls in older people.  As we get older, we don’t get enough vitamin D – either from diet, supplements or sun exposure – And we may be at increased risk of developing mobility limitations and disability.  Could this be me???  Maybe... I am in those "middle years"...  But, I know that I need to drink more milk than I do.  Correcting low levels of vitamin D has been proven as a potential means of reducing falls and increasing mobility.  My doctor has actually put me on a supplement recently.  Maybe that is why my knee is still intact after this fall!  My bones are getting stronger.  Now, how to not fall in the first place... Ha!  (Born naturally clumsy, I'm afraid!)

"Game On, Game Over!" Until... The River X Finale

I have to share a very funny story.  The night of Day 2... When we got back into town, we were running low on black zebra midges.  A google + (Social fishing network) friend of mine said that he had been selling flies in a market near the river.  Ok...which town and which market?  We had gone to a few...but, nothing was found.  We actually found one that was called The Market... I walked in and went up to the shift manager, a middle aged woman with a very business like demeanor.  I asked her, "Do you sell flies for flyfishing"?  She looked at me with a perplexed and sort of shocked look on her face.  She answered back, "Nooo, we aren't allowed to have flies since we have a deli over there."  (Pointing)  Huh?  Are we on the same fly page, Batman?   Hmmm, I don't think so!   Without laughing, (Oh, I really wanted to)  I explained to her that I was looking for artificial flies that you put on the end of a fishing line... Oh boy!  Needless to say, they had a perfectly clean deli and no flies for my fly box.  = ) 

Day 3 began as it did the first two days.  Ice cold water from the dam greeted us as we waded in above our knees to plant a few dry flies on the water.  But, River X was actually experiencing warm weather for October at 80 degrees.  So, the water felt pretty good later on.  There were floating clusters of midges still, so of course I put on my last black zebra midge on the dropper.  As I looked downstream at Jeri already into fish, I had to laugh to myself.  Here is the gal that wasn't too thrilled about getting up at 5:15 am every morning to head out to beat the campers and trucks that would soon be there.  But, now it seemed that it was worth it.  = )



The mysterious Mr. Outdoors...

  

We would soon be found by Rebecca "The Outdooress" and Mr. Outdoors.  They know this river pretty well and wanted us to follow them...  My choice was to hit the pocket water of the "RD's Cliff Hole".  There was only one person parked there, so we made a run at it.  Mr. Outdoors had been watching my poor-a... casting.  He yelled from across the river to give me some helpful hints.  He wanted me to cast over to this group of boulders, but I just couldn't reach it.  The next thing I knew...he was over on my side and handing me his fly rod.  Here came the much awaited casting lesson!! 

The RD Long Haul

 A lot of people have given me advice, but I'm still not feeling at home with my cast.  After a half hour or so of practice and "loading" up the rod (which no one has ever taught me to do)... The River Damsel finally got it!  Whoohoo!  60-70 ft of line down river...and back up river...it was FANTASTIC!!!  Then, we started targeting spots and I was hitting them almost dead on.  Now, this was fun.  I almost forgot about catching a fish.  I had learned how to cast better than I had ever done before! (3 years of hello???)  I was starting to think that it was my lamo arm... Well, maybe I'm not totally uncoordinated as I thought!  ???  Maybe.

Then, it was time for Rebecca and I to find some big brown trout.  She headed to some nice rocks across the stream.  I had started working my section, when I heard Rebecca shout out, "I don't have my net!  This is a big fish!"  Oh-oh.  I had better get down there to be the net gal.  Now, to tell you the truth, I would have never walked briskly as I did through the fast current to where Rebecca was.  But, the adrenelin flowed.  And I got there just as she was bringing him in close.  There we go!  In the net...

and ready to look purdy for the camera.

Then came the perfect example of stalking a fish from Rebecca.  No sooner than a blink of an eye, (ok...maybe 10 min) she had the fish she was looking for.  We will call him "Brutus".  The bend in the rod told it all.  We were both screaming and laughing at the same time.  It was awesome!!  I was having more fun netting her big fish than fishing myself.  Great fun to watch someone stalk a fish and land it.  When he came in close... Rebecca was all smiles...  Well, why not?

Yeah, we barely got all of him in the net.  This is a RIVER X Brown Trout!!

This was fun... What else can I say.

Next up... Another spot in the 10 miles or so of choices.  A nice little dry fly spot that had Mr. Outdoors reeling them in.  And Jeri got a lesson on pointing and shooting for rings of rising fish.

Back to the cars and trying to find one last spot for the day.  As we drove up towards the dam, we passed turnouts that were already occupied.  I knew where we would end up.  It was inevitable.  Yep, the "Midge Run" was where they were headed.  Ok...so, we skunked on that part of the river the last two days.  Try, try again.  A few more "tippets" from Mr. Outdoor on dry fly fishing.  Then, Rebecca came over and said, "I'm taking Emily with me"...  I had a feeling that this was going to be an adventure for sure.  You see, Rebecca doesn't like to see anyone get skunked.  And after my first two days of catching,

I was having a rough time this third day.  Of course, I was having a great day of learning...

and I wouldn't have traded the lessons for anything. 

 So, I followed Bec down the river to our first spot.  There, I learned how to mend the dry very carefully.  Never knew those tricks.  Then, a few more casts...nothing.  Rebecca exclaimed, "Let's move on"... (She was going to stay with me til dusk to find a fish!)  Haha.  What a great friend to have.  Next run...eh, nothing.  Then, we hit a pocket of large rocks.  Bec was sure that this was going to be it.  We put on a big ol' hopper with a black midge dropper (Imagine that!) and she had me cast over this large shadow of a fish...oh, maybe 25 times.  And he was still there.  Unreal.  Not spooked in the least.  He was a "taunter"!!  And Rebecca Garlock, my friends...does not look kindly upon "taunting" fish!!  We were not going to give up.  Team RG/RD...was into the game...BIG TIME!   As I had my hopper on a perfect drift... Rebecca would say, "Game On"!  And when it went under..."Game Over"!   My hopper finally went under where it should and I set that hook like never before (And with RG yelling in my ear)... The hot pursuit of this one big fish had to have a happy ending...

The bend in the rod and the strength to keep with it...was rewarded.  The whole time though, I was thinking that I had better get this guy in for Rebecca's sake!  She had been so patient... = )  After calling him names (which I won't disclose) and finally having him on the end of my line... this was a hard fought victory!

Mr. Hooked Jaw was mine...

So, the "game" was won and it was now getting dark.  The others were waiting on the sidelines and cheering.   We had to take one final picture... Well, who told me to pick up the fish????  (Not anyone) 

Rebecca couldn't stop laughing after looking at her expert, fast action photography...Thanks, Bec. 

Yes, we had a hysterical ending.  I definitely "got schooled".  Have you ever been slapped by a fish?  

 You might even say that I have given new meaning to "Fly" fishing...

  River X... Never a dull moment.  It's always a "REEL" adventure...

 Pass the Snickers and  Diet Coke please...









"I'm Still Standing"...River X 2012

For three days, from dawn to dusk...we fished the desert canyon of River X.  It was a time with old friends and new friends.  A time to fish to rising brown trout.  A time away from the outside world...and all electronic devices to that world.  It was about all of that and a lot more.  PMD's, Mahoganies, BWO's, and Midges!

(The X is not RD sign grafitti...just picture fun)

This special place will remain River X...at least on this blog site!

This is a place like no other.  A place that is mysterious and as unusal as it's inhabitants under the water.

The Story Begins... Day 1

Heading North... I brought my friend Jeri with me to experience this great river for the first time.  Time flies on the road when you have someone to talk with.  And before you knew it...we were there.  Eyes wide open, Jeri could see first hand that this was going to be quite the fishing weekend.  I knew which hole I wanted to fish first...but, I remembered another spot that was pretty successful on my last trip with Rebecca Garlock.  She was the one who got me hooked back in 2010.  And every year now, it's a sabbatical.  Sometimes twice during the year...  

My first catch of the day wasn't too shabby... I was happy with this guy!

A nice 16-17 inch brown trout. Maybe on the short side of the avg. size of trout in this river...

On a midge, of course! (I have caught most of my River X fish on midges)

Throwing a dry dropper, Jeri got quickly into the game... Enjoying every minute of it!

 

 

JERI..."My first fish of the trip. Unfortunately he flew away with my flies as soon as I turned him over. My first words....."OH MY GOSH!!!!!", EMILY!!!!!!"

Yes, Jeri was now a River X Believer.

And the Pigeon Hole was now ours...for a few hours anyway.

We met up with Rebecca later on and a few friends.  From left to right...Rebecca, Rachel and Aileen.  I absolutely believe that they can outfish any "Charlie's Angel"... In addition to the gals, we had "Mr. Outdoors" (The Outdooress's hubby) and Chad (friend of Rachel's)   So, the gang was all there...  It was kind of nice to have so many women out there for a change!  And I had nothing to fear with Rachel's bear spray and...  Let's just say the rattlers and coyotes (yes, we did see one) stayed away... So, we could focus on what we came for...BIG FISH!!  The first day would end, with everyone netting their big, healthy brown trout and enjoying the camaraderie of each other...

Aileen is the creator of MKflies and she had a beautiful fly box showing off her talent.  And these flies sure do catch fish!  Rachel is the teacher of the improved clinch knot in an easier way (yay!).  She was so helpful on this trip.  And she had quite a few bends in the rod...  Rebecca is the co-founder of the Outdoor Blogger Network and writes on her own Outdooress blog.  Rebecca convinced me to write a blog and to take my fly fishing to another level.  Ummm...I just don't know what that is exactly!  Lol.  Seriously, she really has been a true friend and a great fly fishing road buddy.  I have learned so much from her on the water. 

My smallest catch of the day.  = )

We would get off the river a little on the late side.  Tired, but excited for the next day.

We now knew which areas we wanted to hit first thing in the morning .

 Day 2

Got to the water early and started pounding away... 

Well, Jeri did at least... I was still getting my gear together at the car.  Hurry up, RD!!  I was just putting on the last of my equipment when I hear Jeri below scream, "I got a fish!

Well...she sure did!  Her first cast of the morning.  And on her friends creation, "Kase's Humpy".
How fun is that?

She is a self-taught fly gal who has flied for just a year... I think that we can now safely say that she has moved up to Intermediate status!   Jeri is having so much fun.

Midges were abundant... often in clusters.

 The canyon walls were majestic as always.

And the fish of River X were amazing and beckoned us to come back for another day.

As night fell, I realized that I was living the dream...of many others.  How fortunate was I.

So, we left and headed back to our digs and to get whatever dinner we could find...we were famished!  Now, in this desolate land of big fish and plentiful bugs... there are small towns.   And by the time we got on the road back to town... everything was pretty much closed.  Except for one eatery...

The Mexican Grocery Store.   aka:  Tex Mex Express

Thank heavens for "OPEN" signs in windows.

And actually, the food was pretty darn good.

Don't ever let bars on restaurant windows keep you away...haha.

We especially liked the "Sponge Bob Square Pants" pinata... = )

And you didn't think that I was adventurous...or maybe you did.

As we talked about the first two days, we decided one thing.  That we didn't really want to fish the "Midge Run" again.  Everyone else liked this run, but we had tried it for two days and had little luck.  Emily's Run (Red Cliffs Hole) needed to be visited.  Gorgeous pocket water.  Another visit to Jeri's Place (1st cast Hawg Browns)  For sure!  And so, we charted out the course of the next day to try these and a few new places... What we didn't know was that Day 3 would have a few surprises...and by the end of Day 3, we would be lured back up to Rachel's favorite "Midge Run" and I would find out what river monsters lurked in the waters beneath...

To be continued...