Fly to Water

Soft Water

2012-03-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming, because it's frankly still hard to believe that for the past several weeks I have been fly fishing mid-elevation stillwaters in Utah. During February. No ice holes required. As in casting a fly line and having its entirety land on liquid where there would normally be 14 inches of solid ice right now.

The Hell you say? Well, in all past years of my lifetime you would be entirely correct in calling BS - but not THIS year. Hungry trout have been tearing the chenille off my flies right down to the bare hook because no one has told them there's another month of Winter supposedly going on right now.

It has been butt-numbing cold at times, but this is OPEN WATER we are talking about. The cure to cabin fever.

Not only that but in the town of Circleville a guy named Mike, proprietor of Butch Cassidy's Hideout, makes something called a Hash Stack. It's a conglomeration of hash brown potatoes, ham, sausage, bacon, and 2 eggs smothered in country gravy. One eats this breakfast, and then fishes all day with no additional nutrient requirements.

Early in the season I am giddy to fish and don't spend much time behind the lens. While rivers are certainly available all Winter long, stillwater trout on the fly at 6,500 feet in February... it's just unheard of.

Here's to places of extremes. See you on the water.

Apocalyptic Fishing II

2012-02-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

Alert! 303 days remain until the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21st. Yes, some experts do believe it's actually December 23rd, in which case we still have a very comfortable 305 days left.

It is now time for the second installment of Apocalypse Gear - the feature that helps you, the angler, prepare for zombies. Today's episode is a double feature, and starts out with rod selection.

You'll want to travel light with the undead roaming freely around your favorite waters, so it may make sense to select just one fly rod that can do it all. My pick is the aptly named Sage One, in a 796-4. This stick will handle everything - trout, steelhead, muskie, bass, salmon - and it won't shun light saltwater duty either. As an added bonus, the rod tube is solid enough to use as a bludgeon and will never give your position away with unwanted reflections due to the matte black coating.

It's a good idea, even pre-doomsday, to have access to a few handy pieces of cutlery when in the outdoors. As survival knives go, I haven't found anything better than the Extrema Ratio Golem for taking into the back country. The blade is 58 HRC stainless cobalt steel, an alloy that is often used for cutting other steel. It stands up very well to chopping and prying, where knives that focus strictly on sharp edges often fall short. The Golem has a tanto point, and the blade is partially serrated making tasks like rope cutting a snap. It also offers a robust dorsal saw that, while definitely requiring some effort, cuts very well. Even the lanyard loop is a solid piece of hardware than can be used for striking, glass breaking, etc.

Parry...Parry...Thrust...Cast - Good!

Apocalyptic Fishing

2012-02-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

As Fly to Water has alertly reported in several recent posts, the Mayan calendar ends this year. The most likely cause of this situation is that the company building the calendar misrepresented it's financial statements, resulting in dramatic stock price deterioration and subsequent layoffs. All of the Mayan executives, or chiefs, retired to the Caymans. Calendar-building laborers were then faced with a large spike in temple foreclosures and ultimately relocated, leaving all the post-2012 work unfinished.

Alternatively, some kind of zombie apocalypse is going to take place this December. The dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together...MASS HYSTERIA.

While the media has buried its teeth in this topic like a gila monster on ankle flesh, the most important consideration has been totally ignored: How are we going to fly fish when the end of days arrives?

As a public service, I hereby offer up a series of posts containing gear ideas and recommendations for apocalyptic fishing.

First and foremost - at the moment of truth you don't want the heartbreak of reaching for your ammo and pulling out your flies instead. My world's first concept combines a waterproof fly box with 5.56 Nato assault rifle ammunition. One swift grab into the sling pack, and you've got access to Copper Johns and copper-jacketed .223 hardball.

Get some!

R.O.U.S.

2012-02-05T16:29:00.001-07:00

If you are a dog owner you know that one of the 3 perils of the uplands is the North American Porcupine, or Rodent Of Unusual Spikiness.

Having a pup get a face full of quill pig is no fun, as I can personally attest. Yesterday I was out in the field without dogs, looking for raptors with JayMorr. When you don't have to worry about your pointers, these can be fascinating creatures to watch.

Ambling about in the unconcerned manner of an animal coated in acupuncture needles, Porky is easy to approach. While the concept that quills can be launched is a myth, porcupines still have a chip on their shoulders because they place 3rd on the list of large rodents behind the capybara and beaver. No one likes to be number three. Use a little caution - as they will swat you with their tails if given the opportunity.

As wildlife goes, the quill pig is a relatively easy subject to photograph once located. The main consideration is not to be lazy and fire away from a standing position (which creates an awkward, downward-looking perspective). Go ahead and get dirty. Sitting, laying on your side propped up with an elbow, or going prone are all options that will put you at eye level with the subject for a more engaging image.

It's hard to believe it's February out there with highs in the 45° F range, no snow at mid-elevations, and copious sunshine while it should be the dead of Winter. I for one am not complaining.

Getting Started in Photography - Part 3

2012-01-16T16:36:00.000-07:00

This week the eyes of world have been on CES, or the Consumer Electronics Show. A huge part of the proceedings involves photography equipment which will allow you to get unprecedented shots of awesomeness. Sadly, without the latest gadgets, your imagery is doomed to becoming a festering pile of digital offal.

In this installment of GSiP, Fly to Water saves you the cost of a brand spanking new Nikon D4 and spills the beans on how to get excellent, close-up shots of wildlife by:

Getting Close Enough to the Wildlife

(Photo of me: www.jaymorr.com, Post: Me)

One of the biggest misconceptions out there is that prime lenses, like spotting scopes, are designed for high magnification. It's wishful thinking. Baboons probably wish they didn't have those garish, red asses all the time but it doesn't change anything. Expensive glass is actually designed around a very large aperture, which allows more light into the camera and therefore expands the range of conditions that can be dealt with by the photographer.

In these posts I've tried to offer some low-cost suggestions that helped me greatly in learning how to advance my outdoor photography. The single, most significant improvement you will ever see in your wildlife images will come from learning how to get closer. Gear is nice, and over time you will find yourself upgrading. Here's the bottom line: My best wildlife images have come from my closest encounters with wildlife. A few weeks ago I captured my all-time favorite image a of a chukar partridge. I was 6 steps from the bird, in good light. The result would have been great with any SLR and 300mm lens, or point and shoot with 6x optical zoom.

The motif you might be noticing is: WORK. There is no EASY button or quick fix. It will take a lot of time and patience - patterning and stalking animals involves skills which must be developed and practiced. Effort and dedication provide the pay off - everything else is secondary. The best advice I can give:

Find a place where your subject wants to be, and habitually frequents. Get there first, and wait. It's that simple, and that complex. Many are unprepared for the time investment. As a somewhat general rule, the average is probably close to 1 good opportunity per full day in the field with wild subjects. Understand that, and have realistic expectations. Your commitment will pay dividends.

Bird's Eye View:

( Photo of me: www.jaymorr.com, Post: Me)

My View:

California Valley Quail
Nikon D300, f/8, 1/125
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 VR
Nikon TC20-EIII Teleconverter
Distance to Subject: 8 paces

Getting Started in Photography - Part Two

2012-01-14T17:44:00.001-07:00

As Fly to Water alertly reported in our last installment, the world is anxiously awaiting events foretold by the ancient Mayan civilization in late 2012: Announcement of the Nikon D400 SLR.

In the meantime we all need to find constructive ways to occupy ourselves, which is why I am now threatening to demystify camera controls in part 2 of this wildly popular feature that has been read by not less than 1 resident of Gilbert, Arizona.

The main functions of a modern digital camera are difficult to understand due to: Math teachers. Individuals identified through psychological examination as having a certain moral indifference will often select a career in mathematics. It's not easy to fathom, but during key formative years children K-12 are exposed to fractional numbers. No one knows why math has been chosen to blight an otherwise pleasant educational experience, but apparently it's been happening since the days of Peking Man. Well into adulthood such trauma is often repressed, and fractions are avoided.

Aperture and shutter speed values, being fractional numbers, create unsavory flashbacks to things like reciprocals, numerators, and denominators. Happily, it's all pretty easy stuff when you boil it down - much as the Frobenius Method simplifies finding an infinite series solution for a second-order ordinary differential equation of a given form.

Images are destinations, and cameras are the vehicles that take us there. Just like a car, there are only a handful of really important controls that will come into play with high frequency.

A – Aperture: Controls Depth of Field. Settings are fractional numbers called f/stops. The smaller the number, the larger the aperture. In other words, ½ or f/2 is a bigger aperture than ⅛ or f/8. Settings such as f/2, f/3.5, or f/4 are large, while small apertures are f/16, f/22 etc. Large apertures give you shallow depth of field where the subject is in focus, but everything else is not. Small apertures give deep depth of field (both foreground and background in focus). Use large apertures for portraits where you want only the subject to be in sharp focus. By contrast landscape images require both the foreground and background to be clearly visible, so you want to select a small aperture.

S – Shutter Speed: Controls Motion. Fast shutter speeds freeze motion, slow shutter speeds blur motion. Use this setting when you have a moving subject. For sports, shutter speeds of 1/500 will freeze motion, while 1/100 will blur the action. Capturing fast-moving subjects like birds in flight requires shutter speeds of 1/1000 or faster. You can also employ very slow shutter speeds (1/4, 1/8, 1-sec) to intentionally blur moving water. To use very slow shutter speeds, you also need to stabilize your camera on a tripod.

M – Manual: Aperture and Shutter Speed are Controlled by the Photographer. Use this setting when you need precise control of both depth of field and motion. Manual mode has a wide variety of highly applicable uses depending on your own personal style. I use it extensively when employing off-camera lighting, as one example. It's less intimidating than you might think because most cameras have a bar chart on the display that tells you if the image is over/under exposed. All you have to do is center the exposure and adjust as needed.

AUTO MODE/CAMERA CASTRATION: As with seemingly all modern electronics, many fine efforts have been made to allow the equipment to make decisions for the user. These days Auto/Program modes do a great job of evaluating a scene and recommending a proper combination of aperture and shutter speed to expose the image correctly. The problem is that the camera has no way of knowing what the creative intent of the photograph is supposed to be. Going straight to the point: If you want to improve your imagery - forget Auto mode. Take control of the tool, and make conscious decisions in order to obtain intentional results as opposed to guesswork.

WB - White Balance: Cameras need to know what is neutral (gray) in order to correctly interpret colors. This control probably should have been called something like "color balance" but as you can see we are sticking with confusing terminology throughout. Here's the bottom line: If you don't like the way colors are looking on your LCD, you probably need to adjust the white balance. Once you understand this principal it seems very intuitive. When someone is standing in the shade, there are more blue tones present. In direct sunlight, tones are warmer with more reds and yellows. Many cameras do a very good job of automatically determining what the WB should be, but it's a setting that can also be used creatively. Using a sunlight white balance (adding red) to photograph Southern Utah red rock landscapes is one example. The following modes are probably present on your camera. Use them and see what they do:

Probably the most valuable book I read in the early going on this topic was Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It's about $17 bucks in hard copy, and simplified several concepts that had previously seemed hazy to me.

Getting Started in Photography - Part One

2012-01-13T20:19:00.001-07:00

Here we are at the beginning of 2012, less than 12 months away from the END OF THE WORLD on December 21st according to the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar. As a major socioeconomic force, Fly to Water will now respond to these most weighty of matters by discussing: How I got started in photography.

In the Fall of 2005 I was contemplating a great truth: There were people who could take a quality photograph, and I was NOT one of them. At the time my definition of "quality" was somewhat limited, but I knew that certain images were engaging, held my attention, and struck me as art. By contrast my work was as attractive as an uncorked bung hole.

Of course I had the option of going out and buying a nicer camera than the Nikon D70 I was shooting, which would make an immediate difference by doubling the file size of my schlocky snapshots. Oddly, many people believe in the mathematical formula E = GP², where E is an expensive camera and GP is a constant called "good photos." I call this the Kopi Luwak delusion: You'd think I was making this up, but there are actual people who profess that because coffee beans are eaten by a civet cat and shat out in the jungle, they make a phenomenal beverage. Now the civet cat is a fine animal, and my Nikon D70 was a solid camera, but it turns out both can be sorely misused.

This leads me to my point: ~~Dudes are out there selling palm civet dingle berries for $160/lb.~~
If you're getting started in photography or looking to improve prior to December's sweet release, consider this:

Anyone can take great photos, regardless of what you feel your natural talent/ability level might be.
You will need to work at it, with the same kind of dedication that it takes to sell cat crap coffee.

Very early on I came to the realization that successful images happened because of the human elements of photography. More importantly, I began to discover that many of the qualities generally described as "artistic" were acquirable. There were principals, camera controls, and techniques which could allow me to get the results I wanted - if I was willing to educate myself.

Step One: Composition

We live in a 3-dimensional world, and from the youngest of ages our minds are conditioned to connect with an environment that involves depth, distance, and perspective.

I was fascinated to learn that the human mind naturally imposes 3-dimensional thinking on flat, 2-dimensional images. It turns out that fairly straight-forward guidelines exist which help broker the connection with the viewer.

In a general sense, this is called "composition," or the way in which objects are arranged (intentionally and creatively) within the frame. There is nothing about composition that should be left to chance. Inclusion, exclusion, angle of view, position relative to the subject(s), portrait vs. landscape orientation, foreground, background, and many other considerations play an enormous part in how the viewer will interpret a 2-dimensional image.

It took some reprogramming for me to begin seeing in 2 dimensions - actively thinking about how I would use the spacial relationships in the frame to hold attention rather than create distraction.

The topic is too broad to cover in a blog post, but here is the take away: Regardless of your equipment, there is a FREE way of making your photos more engaging with simple compositional techniques that can be learned and practiced at home. I started by reading Photographic Composition, and Brenda Tharp's excellent Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography - both available on Amazon for about $15 bucks.

Read up before 12/21/12, when it will be human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... MASS HYSTERIA. If this has been helpful, drop me a line. I've got a few more pre-cataclysm thoughts brewing.

Chasing Quail

2012-01-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

When all else fails...NEW TACTICS.

Around Thanksgiving I wrote HERE about a covey of jittery, rural quail that have unabashedly given me the bird for years. This group and I have a certain understanding: I foolishly attempt to approach them, and they in turn show me their asses at 100 yards. It's not an equitable arrangement.

As the new year approached, I began wondering if a tried and true upland hunting technique - using a blocker - might work on the photo front. Thinking back, I believe my wildlife photography has benefited greatly from a lifelong background as a sportsman. Understanding animal behavior patterns, body language, vocalization, and other factors seems to provide me at times with an edge behind the lens. The idea of pushing/blocking upland game is not new, but shotguns have an effective range of about 50 yards - a distance that needs to be cut in half with a camera. Still, it was a concept that seemed worth testing out.

I gave Jason Morrison a call, and the game was afoot. Jay is a guy who I knew had the skill to nail a fleeting opportunity that would last only seconds.

Arriving at the scene, an old farm in Northern Utah, I was disappointed to find that the birds did not pass the night in their usual spot. It was a downer, because the golden light of morning created a perfect stage upon which there were no performers. Preparing to seek other possibilities, we suddenly noticed the covey near an old corral that had not seen use in ages. It was at this point that long experience with upland birds kicked into gear, and I knew even before our approach that the situation was ideal.

It was my feeling that the covey, upon seeing my voluminous biomass heading in their direction, would sprint along the corral's contour for some 75 yards. Here, they would reach a dead end and begin flying up onto some aged fencing and an old, rock wall. Doing so would give them an escape route to the wheat fields beyond. If Jason could position himself near this natural collection point in advance, he would have front row seats as 30 quail paraded past him at about 8 paces.

Morrison took the road less traveled, going far out of his way and remaining concealed from view until he eventually circled back about 20 minutes later and got into position. I knew the birds wouldn't let me get close, so in the meantime I dug out my Nikon TC20-EIII, a 2x teleconverter that would double the focal length of my lens.

Getting the ready signal from Jay, I emerged from cover and vectored towards the corral. I say "vectored" because it's something of an art to advance on animals without appearing as if you are necessarily headed directly at them. It's one of those "look casual" things. As the pusher, I carefully observed the birds in the covey to watch for signs of nervousness, and paced myself to avoid a flush. The quail moved deliberately, but not in a panic, towards the blocker position. A few stragglers occasionally tried to double back, and afforded me several medium distance shots from perhaps 20 yards.

At one point I was able to lie down and capture a unique image as this male passed into a natural frame created by the bottom rail of the corral and 2 posts. Shadows from the fencing formed a number of leading lines, drawing the eye towards the well-lit subject:

The day nearly ended in tragedy as JayMorr encountered a rare, silent killer: A quail stampede. 60 tiny feet, possibly descended from the velociraptor's, bore down on the blocker position. From my perspective the whole thing wound up looking like some kind of avian flash mob dancing a Spanish Flamenco around Jason. True to form he did not miss the opportunity. Be sure to drop in and see some of his fantastic imagery - shot from 8 paces (HERE). If you haven't attempted to photograph wild, rural game birds - it's difficult to articulate how extraordinary a situation like this really is. The aggregation of great light, point-blank subjects, correct position relative to the sun, and very little time to work with all combine to make Jay's photographs remarkable. It was the ideal way to spend New Year's. A big congrats to Morrison on his first wild California Valley Quail images, and all the dues that were paid leading up to the moment.

Nikon D300
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 VR - f/8, 1/320, ISO 400
Nikon TC20-EIII Teleconverter
Distance to Subjects: 60 Feet/20 Yards

Devil Birds

2011-12-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

I had been hiking for a while now. The ambient temperature was 14° F (-10° C), which was comfortable. A few years ago my outdoor wardrobe experienced some natural base layer enhancement courtesy of merino wool, which is a miracle fiber. Like your garden variety wool it insulates even when wet, but against the skin it does not itch and feels like fleece. Inexplicably it can also stave off odors for a remarkable amount of time, and it breathes extraordinarily well. I was glad to have my Icebreakers on this occasion. Incidentally, if you are one of my fly fishing readers, merino socks by this company are the dog's bollocks (meaning badass in the UK) for cold weather wading.

Chukar partridge were my goal for the day. Early in the Fall it's often possible to locate a covey by listening for calls, but typical of this time of year it was dead quiet. Wild birds soon realize their chatter is giving them away, and they start dishing out the silent treatment.

Hiking in the steep, rocky talus that chukars love with a 14-pound camera rig offers a pucker factor of about 9.0. Opportunities can be so unexpected and fleeting, I've never been able to successfully make use of a tripod, monopod, harness, or pack. It's all free-hand. At double the weight of a typical shotgun, and with the awkward size/shape of a big telephoto, the visual is like watching someone Riverdance on a cliff face while cradling a huge baby.

Presently due to insubordination on the part of my pulmonary system I stopped to catch a breather in a large boulder field. About 3 weeks ago I acquired the felicity of walking pneumonia and am still feeling the effects. After a minute or two, what I can only describe as a chukar whisper seemed to emanate from the rocks to my immediate left. The sound was barely audible, and far more subdued than I had ever heard before. My thought was that the call must have been more distant and I'd experienced a sound effect in the strewn boulders.

Following a few seconds of questioning the wisdom of combining thin air with cough syrup, I heard it again - "chuk-chuk." There were partridge about, and they were close. Really close - within feet. Over the last 25 or so years, I've hiked, hunted, scouted, and photographed in chukar habitat hundreds of times, and I can't say that I've ever managed to get nearer than 15 yards. Until now.

18 feet in front of me a mature, well-marked bird hopped up on a rock and was positioned ideally to catch the morning sun. Had I not been forewarned by the muted calls, which enabled me to raise my lens just in time, I have no doubt a flush would have been instantaneous. As it was, I captured a short series of images from spitting distance. At this range I believe my Sitka Gear Open Country camouflage probably made a huge difference, allowing me blend in under point blank scrutiny.

This was a great way to finish out 2011 - with a humbling opportunity that I was privileged to see through the viewfinder.

Nikon D300
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 VR - f/8, 1/320, ISO 400
Distance to Subject - 6 Yards/18 Feet

The Eyes Have It

2011-12-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

If you are a guy of they XY chromosome persuasion, chances are you have had this type of exclamatory remark flung in your direction. Due to a vast conspiracy between extroverts and chick flick producers, eye contact became an important, non-verbal communication element at some point in history.

While information technology professionals have been fighting this alarming and intrusive trend for decades via non-violent, downward gazing - such efforts have done little to stop the insanity.

Looking into the eyes establishes a connection. Similar body language is evident even in animals, where the direction of a stare or glance can have much deeper social meaning.

In wildlife photography, creating a linkage between the viewer and the image is paramount. Eyes are a critical component of the subject in this regard. Aside from intentional, artistic abstractions - successful images must capture the eye in sharp focus and without motion blur. This remains true regardless of distance and whether you are capturing a tight shot or broader environmental portrait.

It can be Hell's own fun tracking focus on the eye of a fast-moving bird while experiencing a fit of the galloping shivers. It's a perishable skill that takes practice. If you're looking to improve your technique, my suggestion is to find a location with a lot of mid-sized birds like seagulls which tend to congregate in groups and fly around in circular patterns. Use the same gear you take into the field, and rehearse focusing on the eye. You might get some odd looks bombing photos of gulls, but it's a small price to pay to avoid the opprobrium of eye blur when it counts.

Don't settle, like Kate Hudson did for Chris Robinson. If your intent is not an abstraction of some kind - the eye simply needs to be sharp. Make sure not to confuse missed focus with motion blur caused by a shutter speed which is too slow. Waterfowl will usually have some wing blur at 1/1250, with action freezing well at 1/1600. As a starting point select the camera's shutter priority mode on one of these two settings and adjust as conditions require.

Happy Holidays - and thanks for reading during 2011! I wish everyone a fantastic New Year.

Nikon D300
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 VR - f/5.6, 1/1600 (8x Optical Magnification) - Hand Held
ISO 400
Distance to Subjects: 20 yards/60 Feet

Quote the Chukar

2011-12-03T18:21:00.001-07:00

The chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), is so named due it's distinctive call which sounds like "chuk." Native to locations in Asia such as the Himalayas and Nepal, it should come as no surprise that these little birds enjoy rugged terrain.

To describe the habitat chukars prefer as "steep" is to say that getting kicked in the gonads is bothersome. Somehow it doesn't adequately sum up the experience.

Hunters and photographers of these partridge can also be identified by their calls, which happen to rhyme with "chuk." It has been said that a person hunts chukars for the first time out of curiosity, and thereafter for revenge.

To me, no other game bird embodies the qualities of a survivalist quite like them. Living in the high desert foothills is a game of extremes. Water and food are scarce, and predators abound. The chukar is well suited to a harsh life, and is tremendously challenging to photograph.

Infiltrating a covey with 20+ sets of keen eyes, each pair honed by daily existence as a prey animal, can be an exercise in futility. Add rocky, vertical geography to the mix and it's downright sporty. If those were the only considerations involved, life would be good. Unlike the hunter, the photographer also needs to make it all happen during ideal lighting conditions and be positioned on the sunny side of the bird as the opportune moment arrives.

A truly complete image is rounded out by some supporting environmental elements within the frame, helping to add context to the scene.

Some native grasses in the foreground, sage brush in the immediate background, and the ever-present rocks so common to a chukar's stomping grounds help complete the story.

Nikon D300
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 VR
Nikon TC17eII Teleconverter

Distance to Subject: 45 Feet/15 Yards

Taking to the Valley

2011-11-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

No religious extremist has ever been as fanatical about a concept as quail are over the posting of sentries. In covey society, forgetting to have someone stand guard is like wearing an argyle sweater vest - it's the unthinkable. Spanish Inquisitors took Christianity far less seriously, and appear slapdash in comparison to the diligence of these feathered lookouts.

Where I live, quail are somewhat of a dichotomy because they adapt well to urban settings. In residential areas birds are semi-tame as they move from feeder to feeder, pausing only to avoid the occasional obese house cat crossing their path. As subjects of photography, these city dwellers are far from ideal. Photos of game birds perched on a Prius or crossing a well-manicured lawn don't represent the proper wild, upland heritage.

Unfortunately for me, quail living in a rural setting are more paranoid than a methamphetamine addict that's just downed a double espresso and Red Bull frappé. Constantly contending with numerous raptors, coyotes, bobcats, skunks, racoons, snakes, and other predators - the wild variety invariably appear to be on the verge of a psychotic break.

Upon seeing a hominid in the distant atmospheric shimmer, a rural quail's eyes will protrude slightly out of the head and cause a jolt of adrenaline to surge to the wings. Any attempt to approach to within 100 yards will result in the wholesale evacuation of the premises.

Last year I scouted a really nice farm that had both a healthy quail covey and some classic upland habitat including some fences made of nicely weathered wood. My hope was to get a few shots of these birds in an iconic setting, but despite making 4 separate attempts, the covey never let me get closer than a football field. Even with a long lens, my operating distance on a subject this size is about 25 feet. I wasn't even in the ballpark.

Last weekend I visited the location again. It's a 2-hour round trip, so I had now driven a total of about 10 hours and this was my 5th day in what had so far been a fruitless attempt to stalk this group of quail. I was immediately excited as I glassed an area and saw my quarry disappearing behind a 4-foot-high fence. This was the obstacle I needed to screen my approach from the watchful eyes of the 20 covey members. In full camo and in max stealth mode I performed what I thought was a flawless stalk and got into position. Somehow they busted me yet again! I can only surmise they heard me, but upon peeking around the fence all the birds were in the air 200 yards away heading for an immense field of cattails...

Except one. The sentry male had taken up the rear guard position, perched on a section of broken fence. In a fleeting moment of opportunity I made a digital copy of him from about 25 feet away. I was glad to finally glimpse this this well-dressed gentleman through the viewfinder.

Preening

2011-11-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Preen - transitive verb

To dress or smooth oneself - to primp.
To groom
A tactic used by the female in a dating arrangement to grievously delay commencement of an evening's planned activities - to lag.

OK, so #3 isn't verbatim from the dictionary - but it falls within the bounds of literary license.

I couldn't help but notice in the process of capturing this image of a preening mallard hen that a rather impatient-looking drake was paddling back and forth a short distance away. In the land of ducks, he was essentially in the formal entry checking his watch every 30 seconds because his reservations at the corn field clear across town were in 10 minutes. Of course he had shown up half an hour earlier at the agreed upon time, but had failed to take into account that preening can only begin upon his arrival. Few things, after all, are more deflating to a lady than a stale preen job.

I was fortunate to have this hen swim very near to me during a window of wonderful light on Saturday. The distance to her from the end of my camera lens was perhaps 6 feet. Shooting at 8x optical magnification, what you see here filled the frame.

After she was all primped:

To Flush or not to Flush

2011-11-27T16:09:00.001-07:00

...that is the question.

Shooting through foliage is usually not ideal, but chukar partridge are fiendish birds with a natural inclination toward sneakiness. It is not uncommon for a photographer to make loud, rattling sounds with the throat that carry at least as far as alpine yodels after being very close to a large covey and getting no shots whatsoever.

The unpredictability of wild subjects will at times preclude the ability to move and recompose. In these cases, foreground foliage can be used as an element to draw the viewer to an area of crisp focus. When using this technique, it's critical to achieve a high amount of detail in the area of interest. Catch light in the eye and sharpness throughout the bird's mask and head grab attention, while also leaving something to the imagination.

Despite spending the morning in the general proximity of around 40 birds, this was the only opportunity that panned out. I'll be chasing them again.

Nothing but Net

2011-11-13T19:30:00.001-07:00

For about the last quarter century Wachter has been cranking out hand-made fly fishing nets down in St. Paul, Texas. About 2 years ago I was poking around online looking for a combination of features that I hadn't found locally.

I wanted a mid-length handle. It needed to be longer than all the typical trout nets made to hang neatly from the back of a fishing vest, but not as long as the usual boat style.
My goal was to find a slightly over sized hoop without infringing on portability.
The bag needed to be tangle-free, hook resistant, and difficult for a fish to twist while netted.
An individual look rather than a sterile, manufactured appearance - but without being too expensive.
Made in the USA.

I happened upon Wachter and found a model called the Magnum Pontoon that was exactly what the doctor ordered. On top of the fundamentals I was nosing around for, they had one in stock with a beautiful curly maple handle...

This has turned out to be my all-time favorite net. The proportions were ideal - perfect for extra reach on the pontoon, but short enough that it easily holsters in a wading belt without getting in the way. The PVC net bag is sufficiently rigid to avoid twisting, and it's easy on the fish. Wachter also has a new MRB (Molded Rubber Bag) option in addition to their injection-molded PVC that's lighter and more flexible.

Actually I don't even get to fish with my Magnum Pontoon about half the time, because anglers are an unscrupulous lot who think nothing of snatching up a companion's net and darting off at speeds that risk a groin pull.

Since my initial purchase, I've since added a couple more of these beautiful nets to the gear bag. Plenty of custom woods and options are available.

Engraving:

Scrimshaws:

Measuring dots every 2-inches on the longer handles:

A variety of woods like this maple burl:

UV-protected, 6-step marine-grade finish:

Net prices start at $60 for the Outfitter series, and both Guide and Master grades are offered. You can order a completely custom net, or take a look at models which are available for purchase immediately here:

In Stock Wachter Nets

If you get one, choose your fishing buddies carefully.

11-11-11

2011-11-11T22:12:00.001-07:00

At one time in my younger days I hunted upland birds without a dog, and consequently went about life largely unfulfilled. Part of this may have been due to the fact that my father, in response to vehement requests for a sporting breed, obtained a beagle/fox terrier mix. In the field this dog's primary talent was turning into a linear motion blur and racing off until he was concealed by the curvature of the Earth.

One can only speculate as to why Dad chose to deprive his posterity of gun dogs, when he himself was raised with a brace of Brittany Spaniels. My theory is that it had something to do with excessive intake of maple nut ice cream - a bastardized confection he purchased with reckless abandon during my childhood. Essentially the frozen dairy equivalent of fruitcake, maple nut should ideally be re-gifted during the holiday season and never consumed. Yet eat it my father did, and in so doing caused irreparable damage to the petulla oblongata, or pet-selecting portion of the brain.

Regardless, I soon reached an age when I could apply the guillotine choke when parental objections were raised and immediately set about the procurement of a proper canine companion. Dogs in the field have since become the element of upland hunting I enjoy the most.

It was great to be out on a sunny, Fall day. Thanks to the pups a few wily phez found their way into the vests along with a limit of chukars. It doesn't get much better than putting boot to cover with a 4-legged friend leading the way and a well-balanced over/under in hand. 11-11-11 worked out nicely.

Sage 6080 Fly Reel

2011-10-22T15:59:00.000-06:00

Fly to Water doesn't sell any fly fishing gear or offer commission-based links to companies that do. When I write about equipment it's usually due either to reader inquiries or impressions I personally want to share.

Sites like MidCurrent do a fantastic job of emerging product coverage, including videos and a plethora of initial thoughts.

My reviews are based on long-term use as an angler. In the case of the Sage 6080, I've been using the reel for 2 years. Some of the species that have tugged on the drag include tarpon, snook, jack, tiger musky, bonefish, largemouth bass, and trout. Living with a piece of gear for this amount of time tends to shed light on factors that might not be as readily apparent once the newness wears off.

What stands out about the 6000 series? First and foremost is the spool release mechanism - there is nothing on the market quite like what Sage has accomplished here. Depending on what kind of fishing you do, it may or may not be necessary to frequently change spools. In my case, I change spools a lot. During much of the year, the switcheroo is happening when it's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. Certain reel designs can range from slightly inconvenient to REQUIRING the use of galloping profanity in such conditions. Not so with the 6000-series. Nothing could be easier under any scenario, with or without gloves, than the effortless locking system of Sage's flagship reel.

Originally I suspected the system was so simple to use that over time it might result in premature despoolization (PD), or an unwanted release. To date this has never happened. The alignment needs to be so visually precise to free the spool that it's highly unlikely to occur by accident. In my opinion this is the best retention system on the reel market - the spool can be removed or replaced with a 1/3 turn of the lock.

The drag is a heavy duty affair utilizing carbon and stainless steel disks in a fully sealed cassette. It's very strong, and dissipates heat efficiently. Yes, it will stand up to the full range of big game you might chase with 8-12 weight rods (available models are 6080, 6010, 6012).

Where the 6000 series again stands apart is the drag knob. The full range of motion is 1 revolution, and it's numbered. I'm still a little baffled as to why more manufacturers don't offer some kind of drag index. I want to mention here that well-executed drag numbering does a few things:

Provides a means of visually setting the resistance
Allows for repeatable settings to be achieved
Can be duplicated across multiple reels

Well, the 6080 delivers on all points. In higher stress applications it's sometimes useful to actually test the breaking point of your leader/tippet combination. The bigger the game, the more important it becomes to have the ability to confidently set your drag, and know that 5 = 5 every time. You may even have multiple spools that are rigged differently, requiring discreet tension levels.

While certainly not laboratory quality I've used a scale accurate to 1/100 of a pound to test multiple copies of the 6080, and found the drag settings to be very repeatable. If you are a guide/outfitter and want several clients to be using equivalent rigging, this is a highly desirable feature. An associate of mine who regularly takes clients to Cabo for inshore species has gone exclusively with 6000-series reels based primarily on the drag system's combination of high performance and reliable/repeatable numbered settings.

Switching from left-hand to right-hand retrieve is easy and involves inverting the clutch bearing inside the cassette. This is done with no tools and instructions are included with the reel.

The frame is light weight and rigid. Sage does a good job of going with a minimalist design that still results in plenty of bracing.

On the subject of visual impact, there is an attractive symmetry to the reel. Five spokes out back create identically-shaped voids, and in the front there is balance between the 3-spoke spool and triangular spool release.

So what could Sage improve here? My main suggestion would be to offer a 6060. As someone who fishes a lot of stillwater, there are constantly 4 or 5 lines in my kit. Swapping spools this easily is so convenient that I've been known to fish the 6080 on my 7-weight. In a slightly smaller size, I'd prefer the 6000's design to the O-ring release system of many other reels - including Sage's own 4500 lineup.

I also feel that many anglers personalize their rig via the reel. Rods have a tendency to look very similar from anything but a short distance away. Distinctive/individual appearance is something many customers look for, and I'd like to see more variety in the selection of finishes. Even a black-on-black 6000 would be welcome.

Fly to Water Rating:

★★★★★ - Drag: Numbered, 1-Rotation, Fully Sealed, Stellar Spool Release

★★★★★ - Price: On Par with the Competition in this Segment
★★★★★ - Weight: A Hatch 7+ is 8.6oz, the 6080 is 7.37oz, a Lamson Vanquish 8 is 7.30oz
★★★★☆ - Visual Design: Could Benefit from a few More Color Schemes

Get a 6000-series from your local Sage dealer, or visit the crew at Stillwater Fly Shop. Tom and his staff offer incredible customer service, a free fly line with your 6000, and free shipping. They also have a video review HERE.

Kid Stuff

2011-10-15T15:37:00.000-06:00

If you are more perceptive than I am, you might have noticed that there is occasional fly fishing content on this blog. Such an observation might lead a person (not that I am referring to any type of spousal unit here) to the mistaken belief that all I do is fish. Nothing could be further from the truth. I only mostly fish.

Take this morning, for example. I had the ~~mandate~~ opportunity to accompany my niece to her last soccer game of the season. At six years old she is considerably better at fútbol than Uncle Fly to Water, so I brought along the camera to get a couple shots of her in action.

Whether it's team sports, fly fishing, or portraiture there are two basic fundamentals of composition that are helpful to keep in mind when photographing kids.

The first seems obvious but I'm surprised how often it's overlooked. Children are classified scientifically as short people, or stubby sapiens if you want to get technical. Adults taking pictures of kids usually don't bother to kneel or sit on the ground so as to shoot from eye level. Dropping down will often result in the heartbreak of grass-stained jeans, but a level perspective gives the subject more prominence.

Secondly, as with most portraits, it's important to align the child's eyes with the upper third of the frame. This is a fundamental of the Rule of Thirds that helps the viewer connect more intuitively to the subject.

This photo was taken at 8x optical magnification and f/5.6, which is well within the range of nearly all point & shoot cameras. The reasons I like this image are purely compositional and result from several concious choices:

Positioning the camera at eye level
Including story-telling elements (expression, jersey, implied motion)
Excluding distracting elements (other players, chairs along the sideline, goal posts, etc.)
Alignment of the eyes along the upper third of the image (Rule of Thirds)

A repeatable recipe for fun kid shots is to get low, and simplify the image by leaving out anything that doesn't need to be there.

I really did have a great time at the game this morning and it was my privilege to be cheering for the Lemon Heads (as they call themselves). For the most part I hardly thought about my Sage One 796-4 fly rod that needs to get bent very, very soon by some slab-like salmonids.

Supersize Me

2011-10-01T19:30:00.001-06:00

Mayflies.

These buggers are small. Not midge small, mind you, but nothing like the morbidly obese terrestrials of Summer.

Photographing these iconic little insects begs for a macro lens, but there's a problem: This type of glass produces a reproduction ratio of 1:1 (or actual size). With diminutive subjects, that's great for images that emphasize the insect in its broader surroundings.

What if you actually want a mayfly to be the main event, and fill a more significant portion of the frame? You can certainly crop your image as a means of bringing the viewer closer, but often there isn't enough detail for a bug to stand on its own 6 legs as an engaging portrait.

The other option is magnification - a method known as super macro photography. There are a large number of techniques that can be used to achieve larger-than-life insect images. Tools of the trade include reversing rings, teleconverters, close-up lenses, extension tubes, bellows, and enough accessories to roughly equal the mass of a neutron star.

If you talk to 10 blokes who delve into super sizing, you'll find 10 different ways of shooting. Using a $7 reversing ring, you can jump in feet first with a 50mm conventional lens and a Google search on reverse macro. One thing is certain: It's a technique-intensive specialty. No piece of equipment is going to do the deed without some patience and a lot of practice. Still, it's fun to dial in the detail on trout food once in a while.

Nikon D300

Tamron 180mm f/3.5 Macro Lens

A Variety of Super Macro Accessories

Brika Does National Geographic

2011-08-29T18:00:00.002-06:00

National Geographic's Your Shot page has long been a favorite of mine. Images are submitted from all over the world for consideration, and the senior editorial staff selects 12 photographs on a daily basis to display.

The images that are chosen never cease to be remarkable in some way. Rare moments, human emotion, nature, world events, and artistic creativity are among the elements that can often be seen side-by-side in the Daily Dozen. Unique is probably the best way to describe the shots in this feature.

It's fun to see some fly fishing subject matter in the mix today. Brika, the sweetheart pup of WorldCast guide Casey Birkholz, is posing on a wooden dory in today's picks.

I've been asked if this image was done using HDR software, and the answer is no. I achieved the effect using a neutral density filter, an off-camera strobe diffused through an umbrella, and some light burning of the clouds in CS5.

Nikon D300
Tokina 12-24mm AT-X Pro
Nikon SB600, off-camera, diffused through a 32" umbrella & triggered w/ radio slave
Tiffen HT 2-stop ND Grad

Loaded for...Chipmunk

2011-08-20T11:19:00.010-06:00

On a recent hike into the backcountry looking to photograph elk, I decided to carry the Boomstick - a Nikon 400mm f/2.8 AF-S VR lens. When I say "carry" I don't mean in a backpack or harness, I mean freehand.

With camera and grip attached, this rig weighs in around 13 pounds. I often carry this lens without a pack, and shoot it hand held. Mature bull elk in areas where hunting is prevalent are a cagey bunch, and opportunities can last only seconds.

In this case, however, I hiked over an area roughly the size of the Louisiana Purchase and didn't catch a single glimpse of elk hide.

As I was making the steep descent back to the vehicle, I came across a common Least Chipmunk, neotamias minimus.

A few things jumped out at me when I spotted this little guy.

He was facing towards the sun, allowing for the all-important catch light to be reflected in his eye. This is a small detail that is always on my mind when photographing animals.
The chipmunk was positioned on a log that would give the foreground some texture, as well as a little elevation from the grasses on the forest floor.
Most interesting was the pattern of pine needles and leaves in the foliage beyond the perch. I immediately knew this would make for a soft, dappled, pleasing background.

When looking to capture an image of a relatively common subject, consider ways you can make the rest of the frame uncommon. Foreground, background, texture, and details like catch light are great ways create engagement with the viewer.

The final step involved compositional fundamentals.

It is key in wildlife portraits to shoot at eye level. I had to get very close to the ground to accomplish this, but it's important because downward angles in photography weaken the subject's presence in the image.
The chipmunk's eye is located 1/3 of the frame from the top edge, which is a foundational element of the Rule of Thirds as it applies to portraits.
Lastly, I chose a position that allowed the chipmunk's tail to enter at the corner, creating a natural leading line for the eye to easily follow into the photo.

When getting outfoxed by the day's primary objective - improvise and look elsewhere. The practice pays off when the main event suddenly shows up, and all these fundamentals need to be more instinctive and less deliberate.

Nikon D300
Nikon 400mm f/2.8 AF-S VR (hand held) - f/5.6, 1/250
LensCoat Camoflauge
Equivalent Optical Magnification: 8x
Sitka Gear Open Country Camo
Distance to Subject: 20 feet

Fly to Water Expeditionary Vehicle

2011-08-14T18:05:00.008-06:00

During some of my recent off-blog time, the build has been continuing on the 2nd generation TroutSnatcher. This rig started life as a Toyota Tundra TRD Rock Warrior, but as is all too common with "stockers" it wasn't yet a keeper and needed to grow up.

OEM-edition pickups tend to be immensely practical. While seated in the driver's position you can generally reach down and access ground-dwelling forbs and berries without the hassle of a dismount. The downside of practicality is that you are frequently mistaken for the driver of a Subaru Brat or Chevy El Camino, neither of which are known for staggering off-road capabilities.

The first order of business in this case was to eliminate what I call the Tutu Effect. Due to a variety of boring reasons, stock trucks tend to have wheels and tires that are slightly recessed into the fenders. When viewed from the front or rear, this creates a silhouette not unlike a ballet dancer in a tutu - bulbous at the hips and tapering down to a more narrow profile where the rubber meets the road. Good for a plié, not so good for a 4x4.

To rectify this situation I added a set of XD 798 Addicts in an 18x9 size, with a more appropriate offset to fill out the wheel wells and widen the stance slightly. Wrapped around the alloys are 35-inch ProComp Extreme A/T tires, which I've used several times in the past. I have found these meats to be a very happy medium between reasonable highway ride and off-road performance.

Getting enough air under the rig to clear the bigger rolling stock was accomplished with a ProComp 6-inch suspension lift.

Changing the wheel offset results in having about 2" of rubber outside the fender. Some states frown on this condition and may issue an equipment citation - but it also causes road debris to flip onto the painted body panels. It's well worth adding a set of Bushwhacker Pocket-Style Fender Flares for a little extra coverage, as well as the assurance the truck will pass a safety inspection.

Mrs. Fly to Water appreciates the powder coated N-Fab Nerf Steps, making both entry and exit more convenient given the Tundra's higher cruising altitude.

Next on the list: Cold air intake and exhaust upgrades.

I'm Back

2011-08-14T17:52:00.002-06:00

Alright, the blog is back in action!

I took the month of July off as a hiatus to welcome a new addition to the family. Fly to Water Jr. was born 6/30. While he has initially cut seriously into my fishing time, I do appreciate his arrival during local temperatures that have not been optimal for trout feeding activity.

Mrs. Fly to Water and I have felt extremely blessed during this time. We have a great group of family and friends, and express our appreciation for all of the collective kindness that has come our way. Mom & baby are doing well and the little guy is starting to establish a pretty good grip on cork too!

Silver Wilkinson

2011-06-26T21:25:00.002-06:00

I wanted to share another great tie by Rocky Maley. This is a Silver Wilkinson shot at 4-times life size. Adding color to the shot is a day lily, which I back-lit using a Nikon SB800 strobe on location.

Rocky can be contacted by e-mail: maleyqh@ortelco.net

On the Rocks - Rocky Maley

2011-05-25T21:41:00.003-06:00

At the Wasatch Fly Tying & Fishing Expo, Rocky Maley tossed me one of his salmon flies. I thought I'd share a quick shot of this beauty because he wraps some mean mylar.

This a 3:1 supermacro, so it's three times life size in the image.

If you are interested in contacting Rocky, you can reach him at maleyqh@ortelco.net.