iCarry 2 Much

Last weekend I traversed a river carrying what onlookers initially thought to be an adolescent pachyderm on my back. In actual fact, it was my photo pack carrying 2 camera bodies, 3 lenses, 1 strobe, spare batteries, various filters, and a full size tripod.

While staving off compression fractures of the L1-L5 vertebrae, it occurred to me that I should lighten up. Literally.

As an exercise in enjoyment, once in a while this season I am going to shoot on my iPhone. Using a measure of creativity and a layer of abstraction to overcome the technical limitations of the camera, smart phones can be powerful tools. Even better, many offer applications which can perform basic post processing, also eliminating the need to download and re-work images later.

Float like a butterfly, and sting with 3G.

Backcasts

Most fly fisherman have what could be described as a fair amount of gear. In other words, roughly 1 cubic hectare, most of which is compacted through the miracles of spousal concealment into 1,500 square feet of garage/basement/offsite storage.

Without looking like you’ve got an adolescent pachyderm strapped precariously to your back, not all gear can be taken on all trips. Invariably favorites emerge and receive heavy use, while other equipment (possibly “specialized”) simply provides comfort to the angler’s soul through existence within the stash.

What follows is a list of my regulars from 2009. I’m interested in hearing from everyone about their favorite swag that has proven itself on the water. Drop me a line if you have anything you won’t leave home without.

Sage 2500 Series

The reels I’ve cranked the most in 2009 have been Sage’s outgoing lineup, and I’ve used the 2540, 2550, and 2560 in all manner of conditions. This series offers an o-ring sealed drag, which is numbered for exact repeatability. As the British would say, this feature is “the dog’s bollocks.” Figuratively this means the pinnacle of coolness; you can disregard the literal translation. The knurled drag knob is ideally tensioned so as not to be changed inadvertently. Converting from right to left hand retrieve is as easy as any reel I’ve tried, and the large arbor helps limit line memory and makes uptake a breeze.

As of Christmas, 2500 reels are getting harder to find. Red Truck Flyfishing still has the limited edition green 2550 for 5/6 weight lines at $210. These originally sold for $375 and the spools are fully interchangeable with the new 4500 series which offers both carbon and aluminum options. This means no problems with an orphaned body anytime soon.

Outcast PAC 9000 Pontoon Boat

I have spent a considerable amount of time on stillwater in all manner of buoyant contrivances. To date, my favorite craft is the PAC 9000, bar none. This remains one of the most expensive options for those in the market for a ‘toon, but it really does perform in a class by itself.

The quad 10” diameter pontoons keep a shallow draft, provide a flat surface for gear, dramatically improve stability, track like an arrow, and provide redundancy. There are many quads on the market, but few with such a low profile. In addition there is something ingenious about the strapless frame system of the PAC 9000.

Even Outcast’s own line of less expensive quad models fails to track as cleanly or as directly as the flagship. I believe this has something to do with the tension of strap mounts along with weight distribution, but the result is superb handling. The PAC 9000 is available at River Bum or your nearest Outcast dealer.

Galvan Fly Reels

During 2009 I have landed everything from brook trout to tarpon on Galvan’s Torque and Spoke fly reels. At no time have I been disappointed, and Galvan’s products are designed and manufactured in the USA.

The Torque and Spoke are exceptionally light for aluminum reels, enabling them to be used across 3 or 4 rod weights to maximize your investment. These models use the same drag design, which has nice detents and makes a muted, single-pawl click when advancing line. Changing from right to left hand retrieve is easy, and spool removal is such a snap it can be done one-handed. I slightly prefer the drag knob of the Torque, especially if using gloves. The Spoke is lighter, and the visual design is first rate.

Stillwater Outfitters keeps a good selection of Galvan reels on hand and is great to work with. They offer a free fly line with the purchase of these reels.

A short review of the Spoke, with additional photos, can be read on my previous blog post here:

Galvan Spoke

Airflo “Slow Glass” Fly Line

Airflo’s Sixth Sense Slow Intermediate (AKA Slow Glass) stands alone as uniquely Airflo. Rated at 0.5 inches per second, this line has an ability that I absolutely love – especially during the spring. It seems to achieve neutral buoyancy down around 3 to 5 feet, which allows for some slow, twitchy subsurface retrieves.

This characteristic is very difficult to imitate with a floating or even a Type I sinking line from any other manufacturer. Using this line to imitate lethargic crayfish, dragonfly nymphs, chironomids, or minnows can be decidedly deadly. The line is a light green, although all the product photography I’ve seen depicts the peach-colored floating variant. It is available at Tackle Direct.

Scientific Anglers Waterproof Fly Boxes

Simple, well-designed, double-sided, and transparent! If you are like me and tend to carry 6-10 fly boxes on a given excursion, it’s a huge boon to be able to select the right stash at a glance. The fact that the whole lineup is watertight and floats make these a right proper bit of kit. I also appreciate the internal design, which allows you to secure/remove most flies without damaging the foam for maximum re-use.

Sage TCR

I arrived late to the party on the first generation Technical Casting Rod. When the TCX was released, a few fantastic deals surfaced on the outgoing TCR. Reviews about this series tended to be love/hate, so I was always hesitant to buy one given the price point. Well, I was missing out.

The Sage TCR 890-4 may be my all-time favorite thick stick. I also have the 1090-4 which is excellent, but the 8-weight is a cannon that casts like a laser. The 890-4 is getting hard to find, but Fly Fish USA still shows some in stock. I know that Red Truck still has a small quantity of 10-weights if you’re in the market for a rocket but want to save some cash.

Sage Z-Axis

My go-to stillwater rod this season has been the Z-Axis 796-4, and it is the best rod I’ve ever used in this category. The “Z” has backbone to throw meat at tiger muskie, but the tip has enough feel to make accurate touch casts in skinny water for lake-sized midge fishing. It’s not a delicate dry fly rod by any means, but it’s as versatile as anything I’ve ever fished.

Nothing but Net

PVC net bags are the way to go. They hold their shape, resist tangles (both fly and fish related), become almost transparent in the water, and are gentle on the quarry. This year I have used the Brodin Ghost Frying Pan Float Tube, and the Wachter Magnum when more reach was needed.

River Bum offers a full line of Brodin nets along with top notch service.

Wachter nets are available at http://www.wachternets.com/

Outside the Light Box

Product photography is usually straight forward, and can be repetitive too. Last week I decided to think outside the light box and come up with something a little more edgy.

These shots both required staging, a tripod, a circular polarizing filter, timed exposures, and waiting for the right lighting conditions.

The results are a little unconventional, but that's the point.

2009 Galvan Spoke Fly Reel

Choice in the world of fly reels is somewhat of an understatement. Looking at the reel case of my local dealer, sometimes I am reminded of Brian Regan’s comedy piece on refrigerators.

“Look at this model; it keeps your food cold for $300 dollars.”

“Follow me over here; this one keeps your food cold for $1200 dollars.”

While few dispute the need for quality in saltwater and big game drag systems, the debate tends to rage around what makes a great trout reel. When entering the game, requirements are simple: Something to hold a fly line. As casting skills improve and we spend more time on the water, balancing a rod well allows for decreased fatigue at day’s end.

Trout are not known for testing a drag, yet this season a big hen rainbow sizzled 125 yards of backing (out of an available 150) off my reel. Without a quality piece of equipment I never would have landed that fish, so performance does make a difference when it counts.

I tend to rate reels based on weight, engineering, price point, and design.

• Weight: The reel should be light enough not to overbalance my rod after backing and line are installed. Ideally, I also like to use a single reel body on at least 3 rod weights by using different spools and adding/subtracting backing as needed.
• Engineering: Changing from left to right hand retrieve should be simple, as should the removal of the spool. The reel needs to be low maintenance. Good drag systems are smooth, offer sustainable resistance, have solid detents to avoid accidental adjustment, and are consistent at various settings.
• Price: How does the reel compete in all categories against other models in the same range?
• Design: Let’s face it, a sexy design is appealing. If you are going to spend money, ugly is not first on the agenda.

My ideal trout reel is a large arbor design that will span rods from a 9’ 4-weight to a 9.5’ 7-weight. There are precious few offerings that can pull this type of duty without overbalancing the 4, or leaving the 7 tip heavy.

The newest model to meet all these requirements, and do so with one of the most eye-catching designs on the market, is the 2009 Galvan Spoke.

Galvan is known for very light reels, but the Spoke is their lightest offering. The S5 weighs in at 4.45 oz, compared to 4.8 for the popular Torque T5. The T6 is light enough to balance out my 4-weight Sage SLT perfectly, but is not too light on my 7-weight with a full load of backing.

Switching the reel from right to left-hand retrieve is easy, and completed by inverting the pawl which is held in place by a retention ring. Spool removal is a snap -- the center is a button that both frees the spool and offers an audible click when re-seated.

The drag system is derived from the Torque, and is solid. Operating the reel results in a subdued, single-pawl click that is nicely muted and unobtrusive. Knob detents are noticeable, and unlikely to be adjusted accidentally.

Personally, I love numbered drag systems that have easily repeatable settings, and this is the one area that I think Galvan’s adjustment design could stand some improvement. The knob makes 2 complete revolutions moving from minimum to maximum drag, but since the knob has “Galvan Fly Reels” printed on it as a placeholder, settings are quite repeatable.

At this point I have landed over 400 fish using the Spoke, which is a decent break-in period. It is one of my all-time favorite reels. Be prepared for some questions if you get one, because just about everyone who has seen the Spoke on my rod has asked me who makes it. Galvan knows sexy.

The Spoke must be in demand too, because it can be hard to find even at the big retailers. I have found it in stock at two of my favorite fly shops:

• RiverBum
• Stillwater Outfitters

Quick Rating

Weight: ☆☆☆☆☆ (Extremely light for an all-aluminum body/spool)

Engineering: ☆☆☆☆ (Wish list: A numbered drag)

Price: ☆☆☆☆☆ (On par with anything in the $300 range)

Design: ☆☆☆☆☆ (Hatch is probably the only competition in visual design)

Returning to the Scene

I once threw two size 13 hunting boots at a skunk in the pitch darkness of night while inside a new $1000 wall tent. This may seem slightly brash to some, but my potato chips had come under assault earlier in the evening by a chipmunk of ill-repute who I thought had returned for seconds.

After my Vibram-soled mortars failed to drive off the intruder, I extricated myself from a warm sleeping bag, walked over to the card table, and turned on my flashlight. It was at this juncture that a case of mis-stinking identity became apparent. There, directly between my feet, was a voluminous tail in the full, upright, and locked position.

What followed remains a partial mystery due to the frenetic pace at which events transpired. During what amounted to only a few seconds, I conservatively estimate that I circumnavigated the interior of the tent 3 times and attempted at least one MMA rear choke hold. Seeing that my foe was attempting to lock in a firing solution, I began jamming his launch sequence with blistering midnight profanity. At one point during the match I ended up outside the tent without using the door. It was here the skunk forfeited the bout and disappeared, much to the delight of the tent’s owner -- my father.

Last weekend Dad and I returned to the scene of this very incident, and caught brook trout in obscene numbers until our rotator cuffs had worn down to nubbins. It was great to spend time bending graphite together during the day and reminiscing around the campfire at night.