Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Showing posts with label links. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Semi-Realistic Heaven For Fly Tiers: The flies and lives of Ulf Hagström
If you like realistic flies, take a good look at Ulf Hagström's blog. My philosophy for fishing flies doesn't really go well with the word (semi-)realistic in the same sentence, but I admire Ulf's exceptional fly tying skill. Excellent stuff, very inspirational.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Great Rod Building Resource: Solway Custom Components Blog
An excellent new rod building blog Solway Custom Components. Check it out, it's well worth it. I know I will use Scott's advice on my cane project's handle and reel seat.
Scott's picture. Used with permission.
Scott's picture. Used with permission.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, January 09, 2009
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Ice, you can go now.
a jazoni photo. Used with permission.
It's March. To cope with it I'm currently reading The Freshman Flyfisher by Rick Passek. Rick is a fellow blogger from British Columbia, Canada. He asked me to write a review of the book, and I will. There is a good chapter about beginner fly selection in his book. Those always make interesting reading.
I haven't tied flies in two months. Not since I made the perfect mobile fly-tying station that is supposed to make fly tying so easy to start that you actually can use that spare 15 minutes for it. I'll be introducing this ground braking innovation to you at some point. Before that, you go and take a long walk along the banks of Tamanawis. There you will find lots of information about fly-tying-somethings. They will help you organize your fly-tying stuff and speed up the tying process. Or, at least they'll keep you busy doing anything but tying flies. Great stuff.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Fly-fishing Tradition
Importance and role of the tradition in fly-fishing is substantial. There are flies and methods used by anglers hundreds of years ago, the reel is pretty much similar in design as it was when first invented, and the reason to fish is pretty much the same as is was before as long as we are talking about fly-fishing.
About a month ago I tied a few March Browns, winged wet flies dating back a long time. In the 80s I was with my parents fishing the Ruunaa Rapids in Eastern Finland. I had a fly rod and had bought, or at least whined to my parents long enough that they had bought me, a package of of three wets, pretied in a leader. I remember the horrible mess the rig was after a few minutes of serious rod waving. One of the flies was a March Brown Silver. I caught couple of fish. They were bleak, no trout for me back then, thank you.
I intented to visit the Ruunaa again last August but instead decided to go to the very heart of Finnish brown trout fly-fishing tradition, the Huopana. It is not a big river, or at least long, only about 1.2 km or .75 miles.
But its every pool and channel has been named and there are even rocks that have names. Those rocks are named after fishermen. That is what I call tradition.
The whole milieu of the river is unique. The houses, the old bridge, and even the old hydroelectricity plant just belongs there. As well as the fishermen (no more than 10 per day with the current regulations) and the brown trout.
The all time sport tackle record trout from Huopana was landed by Mr. Bruno Alanko on 22nd of August 1933 using "a yellow fly". That was 8.3 kilograms or 18.5 pounds of lake-run brown trout.
I visited the river exactly 74-years later. After a short but good night sleep in my car I saw two fly fishermen with a story to tell. "I just lost the trout of my life" was the first thing the younger man said to me when we met. With wide eyes and stunned expression on his face he told me about the trout he hooked and played for good thirty minutes. The hands of the older man were wide apart when he estimated the size of the fish with his hands. At least 5 kilograms he said. The fish broke of just when they thought that they could finally land him.
The tradition of fly-fishing is not static. It lives and evolves as we read, write, talk, and dream about it.
About a month ago I tied a few March Browns, winged wet flies dating back a long time. In the 80s I was with my parents fishing the Ruunaa Rapids in Eastern Finland. I had a fly rod and had bought, or at least whined to my parents long enough that they had bought me, a package of of three wets, pretied in a leader. I remember the horrible mess the rig was after a few minutes of serious rod waving. One of the flies was a March Brown Silver. I caught couple of fish. They were bleak, no trout for me back then, thank you.
I intented to visit the Ruunaa again last August but instead decided to go to the very heart of Finnish brown trout fly-fishing tradition, the Huopana. It is not a big river, or at least long, only about 1.2 km or .75 miles.
But its every pool and channel has been named and there are even rocks that have names. Those rocks are named after fishermen. That is what I call tradition.
The whole milieu of the river is unique. The houses, the old bridge, and even the old hydroelectricity plant just belongs there. As well as the fishermen (no more than 10 per day with the current regulations) and the brown trout.
The all time sport tackle record trout from Huopana was landed by Mr. Bruno Alanko on 22nd of August 1933 using "a yellow fly". That was 8.3 kilograms or 18.5 pounds of lake-run brown trout.
I visited the river exactly 74-years later. After a short but good night sleep in my car I saw two fly fishermen with a story to tell. "I just lost the trout of my life" was the first thing the younger man said to me when we met. With wide eyes and stunned expression on his face he told me about the trout he hooked and played for good thirty minutes. The hands of the older man were wide apart when he estimated the size of the fish with his hands. At least 5 kilograms he said. The fish broke of just when they thought that they could finally land him.
The tradition of fly-fishing is not static. It lives and evolves as we read, write, talk, and dream about it.
Monday, November 05, 2007
"Buster had coped with the misery of their childhood by escaping to the swamp or river to fish."
Linda Anderson writes in her book When Night Falls:
Now there is a group of bloggers still trying to cope with childhood traumas by fishing. I'll bet that Linda Anderson hasn't heard any of them, and they hardly know Linda. I'll introduce them: Linda, meet Buster. Buster, meet Linda.
Read what they have to say at Buster Wants to Fish.
And perhaps fishing?"Buster liked to fish. Jeb and Buster had coped with the misery of their childhood by escaping to the swamp or river to fish.
Not that his cousin ever knew he was having a miserable childhood. Buster was an idiot. He was mentally deficient, except for processing data and operating computers."
Now there is a group of bloggers still trying to cope with childhood traumas by fishing. I'll bet that Linda Anderson hasn't heard any of them, and they hardly know Linda. I'll introduce them: Linda, meet Buster. Buster, meet Linda.
Read what they have to say at Buster Wants to Fish.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
201
This is the post #201 of this blog. It has been fun, but...
... I'm going to continue nonetheless.
One of the highlights of this blog was when Jeffrey Prest, Features Editor of UK based 'Trout Fisherman' magazine, inquired could they publish a picture taken by me on their magazine. I naturally agreed and the following picture was published on the August 2007 issue.
It's not everyday that our toilet is on a magazine.
However, what has clearly been best is the new friends. Thank you.
Wyatt, how about a fly swap this winter?
... I'm going to continue nonetheless.
One of the highlights of this blog was when Jeffrey Prest, Features Editor of UK based 'Trout Fisherman' magazine, inquired could they publish a picture taken by me on their magazine. I naturally agreed and the following picture was published on the August 2007 issue.
It's not everyday that our toilet is on a magazine.
However, what has clearly been best is the new friends. Thank you.
Wyatt, how about a fly swap this winter?
Monday, October 01, 2007
Spey casting with a single-handed rod
Or Learning to cast again
I learned fly casting without instructors but by reading books, casting, and casting. It was in mid 80s and I was a pimple-faced teenager with a noodle fibreglass rod. Back then my books considered moving the wrist in casting as a critical mistake.
To keep a long story short, I haven't developed to be a great caster. Over the years I started to caught fish and was satisfied to my mediocre fly casting skills. At some point I reached the conclusion that only way to cast better was by applying less power. But then there is the thing called muscle memory. It has been very hard to change my casting stroke.
Beyond Overhead and Roll Casting
A few years ago I began to experiment with the underhand cast. It is widely popular here in Scandinavia, but I must confess that I haven't really mastered it. The I saw a video clip of the double spey cast with a single-handed rod. It looked familiar, and I realized that in fishing I used a cast not totally unlike the double spey. Then one day last summer I was fishing and I was casting the double spey. It felt great, and it was far more effective for the situation than traditional roll casting.
A few weeks ago a friend lent me a DVD entitled Rio's Modern Spey Casting, and I became a child again. I mean that I'm beginning to rival my kids on a competition how many times the same DVD can be watched. Simon Gawesworth has explained the basic principles of Spey casting to me so many times that they are starting to stick. Surely, in the DVD he casts mostly with a double-handed rod, but Spey casting is not about double-handed rods, it is about manoeuvring the line to position for forward cast, it is about D-loops and anchors. All these principles work with single-handed rods as well as with two-handed rods.
Wetting the line
I have been on a lake shore half a dozen times practising. The beginning was miserable. I think I managed to make every mistake possible. My D-loops were out of control, anchors either stick piles of line or nonexistent, and I apparently had no sense of timing. My hand was hurting as I tried to fix everything with power, a manly solution to everything. But my double spey was working and one switch cast out of twenty sent the line far and fine. So I returned home to listen Simon.
Last Saturday I went to the shore again.This time I had memorized the rod path for the snakeroll. I did it a dozen times and the misery continued. Only then I realized that my line was pointing to the wrong direction before the forward casting stroke. It was perfectly aligned if the direction I wanted to cast was behind me. I felt stupid when I realized that I drown a G-shape not the e-shape; clockwise instead of correct counter clockwise e-shaped rod path. I changed it and snakeroll started working, the anchor was right there where it was supposed to be. I added the splash-and-go timing of the airborne anchor cast and the line was flying and unrolling beautifully.
It felt great. And all the sudden I managed the switch cast and the single spey as well. All these casts have the airborne anchor. Splash-and-go, and it did.
My Spey casting has only began. There are lots of faults to be fixed. It is still quite common that the line (and my self esteem as a caster) falls down into a messed pile of misery. But when I concentrate well, have patience, and don't apply too much power, the line unrolls beautifully, or at least decently, and I have the sense of success that I need to keep on going.
At the moment like these I also remember that it is not the destination, it is about the journey.
I learned fly casting without instructors but by reading books, casting, and casting. It was in mid 80s and I was a pimple-faced teenager with a noodle fibreglass rod. Back then my books considered moving the wrist in casting as a critical mistake.
To keep a long story short, I haven't developed to be a great caster. Over the years I started to caught fish and was satisfied to my mediocre fly casting skills. At some point I reached the conclusion that only way to cast better was by applying less power. But then there is the thing called muscle memory. It has been very hard to change my casting stroke.
Beyond Overhead and Roll Casting
A few years ago I began to experiment with the underhand cast. It is widely popular here in Scandinavia, but I must confess that I haven't really mastered it. The I saw a video clip of the double spey cast with a single-handed rod. It looked familiar, and I realized that in fishing I used a cast not totally unlike the double spey. Then one day last summer I was fishing and I was casting the double spey. It felt great, and it was far more effective for the situation than traditional roll casting.
A few weeks ago a friend lent me a DVD entitled Rio's Modern Spey Casting, and I became a child again. I mean that I'm beginning to rival my kids on a competition how many times the same DVD can be watched. Simon Gawesworth has explained the basic principles of Spey casting to me so many times that they are starting to stick. Surely, in the DVD he casts mostly with a double-handed rod, but Spey casting is not about double-handed rods, it is about manoeuvring the line to position for forward cast, it is about D-loops and anchors. All these principles work with single-handed rods as well as with two-handed rods.
Wetting the line
I have been on a lake shore half a dozen times practising. The beginning was miserable. I think I managed to make every mistake possible. My D-loops were out of control, anchors either stick piles of line or nonexistent, and I apparently had no sense of timing. My hand was hurting as I tried to fix everything with power, a manly solution to everything. But my double spey was working and one switch cast out of twenty sent the line far and fine. So I returned home to listen Simon.
Last Saturday I went to the shore again.This time I had memorized the rod path for the snakeroll. I did it a dozen times and the misery continued. Only then I realized that my line was pointing to the wrong direction before the forward casting stroke. It was perfectly aligned if the direction I wanted to cast was behind me. I felt stupid when I realized that I drown a G-shape not the e-shape; clockwise instead of correct counter clockwise e-shaped rod path. I changed it and snakeroll started working, the anchor was right there where it was supposed to be. I added the splash-and-go timing of the airborne anchor cast and the line was flying and unrolling beautifully.
It felt great. And all the sudden I managed the switch cast and the single spey as well. All these casts have the airborne anchor. Splash-and-go, and it did.
My Spey casting has only began. There are lots of faults to be fixed. It is still quite common that the line (and my self esteem as a caster) falls down into a messed pile of misery. But when I concentrate well, have patience, and don't apply too much power, the line unrolls beautifully, or at least decently, and I have the sense of success that I need to keep on going.
At the moment like these I also remember that it is not the destination, it is about the journey.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
With this ring, I thee wed...
Some time ago, a precious little Orvis Superfine fly rod was given to me.
Now, she has a companion for life (or at least for the 24-and-half years what is left of the warranty). Say hi to my new Orvis CFO III reel!
They were made for each other.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Combat Fly-Fishing
I’m not the biggest fan of competition fly fishing. I feel that it is needed for the sport but it also represents some aspects that, to my view, are not in the essence of fly fishing. One obvious aspect is competition; others include targeting the small fish and overall haste of the whole activity.
However, I like to be able to catch more fish, and I like to catch fish when nobody is catching them. This is where some knowledge of competition fly fishing tactics become valuable. One article worth of reading is Combat Fly-Fishing by Charles Jardine. He was spying the Young Master Jedi Fly Fishers at the World Youth Fly Fishing championships. The tactics are far beyond standard short line Czech Nymphing.
However, I like to be able to catch more fish, and I like to catch fish when nobody is catching them. This is where some knowledge of competition fly fishing tactics become valuable. One article worth of reading is Combat Fly-Fishing by Charles Jardine. He was spying the Young Master Jedi Fly Fishers at the World Youth Fly Fishing championships. The tactics are far beyond standard short line Czech Nymphing.
Gradually, I slipped from an envious glance to a more analytical view and began to see what the fly fisher was doing.
This is Fly - Issue 2
Sir Jackson recommended to open This is Fly online magazine, to go to the page 21 for some reggae music, and to start reading.
I did that. You do it. It's really refreshing. My favourite part is Lodge Record by Jen Hodges (page 25):
I did that. You do it. It's really refreshing. My favourite part is Lodge Record by Jen Hodges (page 25):
What I have learned from my fishing experience with my husband and speaking with female anglers around the world is this- when you see the uber, agro, super duper, square chinned guy with the trophy shot.... Understand one thing the person holding the camera (spouse, guide, girlfriend) most likely caught the fish.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Flytier's Page: Levern "VERN-O" Burm
Take a look at Levern "VERN-O" Burm's Gallery featured in Flytier's Page by Hans Weilenmann. Great flies and great photographs.
I have the privilege to own some flies tied by Vern. We made a fly swap last Spring when he sent me a few US trout flies and I mailed him back some Finnish trout flies.
VERN-O's flies can be purchased online via JS Fly Fishing.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Fish Prints by Jack Brown
Gyotaku (pronounced something like "jo-taku") is an ancient Japanese art form in which prints are made by inking a fish and pressing rice paper on it. In Japanese, "gyo" means "fish" and "taku" means "print" or "rubbing." It's harder than it sounds.
- John Giearach
Jack Brown lived seven and a half years in Japan during the late seventies. During that time he fished, and learned the six hundred years old art of Gyotaku. Used originally to record impressions of fish, nowadays Gyotaku receives enthusiastic reception as a decorative and interpretive art form. Today fish rubbings and prints can be seen displayed alongside other notable pieces of art.
Jack sent me two absolutely beautiful prints: a brown trout and a steelhead. The fish rubbings made by Jack Brown are great gifts for fishermen.
Visit his website at www.kechenenyfishprints.com
Friday, May 04, 2007
Leadercalc 2007
Steve Schweitzer has updated his Leadercalc formulas. If you make your own leaders or plan to do so, check Leadercalc 2007 at Global Fly Fisher - it is the best resource you can find about hand tied leaders.
In 2006 I used exclusively hand tied leaders, this year I plan also to use some ready made standard leaders and as well as braided leaders.
In 2006 I used exclusively hand tied leaders, this year I plan also to use some ready made standard leaders and as well as braided leaders.
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