Arrivaca, Southern Arizona - April 2011

Okay, I will post now that the action has cooled slightly. I made 3 trips over the last 2 weeks to my favorite bass lake. In reviewing my past journal entries I saw that there were definite windows where action was hot. I figured it was still early for any topwater. I was surprised by how high the lake is despite the dry winter. My first trip yielded 4 bass after 1 pm, the largest 16" but very healthy. I used a sink tip line, casting tight to the shore and stripping back immediately. I christned my Phillipson 9' Power Pakt rod - it did well with the bass taper line, but a full day of casting did the cork grip no favors. I got it out of my system and went to plastic for the next 2 trips. Oh, I did get one on topwater - a brown Baby-doll cast deep into a mess of tree branches where one was noodling. The second trip was epic. Went with my buddy Rod who had been a week earlier also. We caught several in the morning up to 18", but killed in the late afternoon. Rod was using smaller flies, 12-14 Prince nymphs and the like, I had continued luck with the crystal buggers (black plastic bead-chain eyes) pictured above. Chartreuse/black the first day, the brown was magic the second day. Working the shoreline in the afternoon, we'd cast to any shadowed area (rocky areas produced best). An intermediate sinking line did better than the sink tip. I scored 3 over 20" and most were very fat & healthy. We also caught a couple of chunky bluegills (10-12"!). The just seemed to migrate to the shorelines as the sun was setting. There was a stretch where every second cast yielded a fish. I was borrowing Rods plastic 8 weight (some Sage RP-something and it took me longer to working in the larger fish as I didn't know if it would explode) - I have to admit it cast well and let me punch my casts out quickly. I also didn't experience "Popeye arm" at the end of the day. My trip this week was more consistent throughout the day, a larger range in size (10 to 18") but no spurt at the end of the day. Color changes seemed to be in order - chartreuse then olive then brown and back to olive. I only got into bass once last year and they seem much healthier this year. I could tell the plant growth was coming up, I pulled in clusters several times where I was weed free last week. I did see a little top water activity. It will be a couple of weeks before I have a chance to return, but I'm hoping I'll find them on top or chasing the fry in the shallows then.

Thin Water & Trout in Southern Arizona

I am amazed whenever I found trout in my part of the world, moreso when they are not stockers. But, these tough little fish don't have much longer (look at the 3rd photo) if we don't get some rain in Southern Arizona soon. I'm told the water was higher in just the past week and I could see evidence where the rocks had been underwater very recently. These were smaller fish (with one notable exception) in very clear water. They were tough to sneak up on (I forgot my knee pads) and the casts had to be pinpoint but it was well worth the drive - a little more than 2 hours from my front door. I started with a 2 piece Heddon 8' bamboo (equivilent to a model 20 or higher) that I will restore soon, but it was too long for the tight spots. Things really started singing when I strung up my Orvis 7 1/2' Impregnated Bamboo. I did best with dries, a size 16 X-Caddis did the best, but I missed several takes on a Royal Trude - just love those old-school patterns. I took one from the last fishable pool upstream (pic #1) and ended the day with a surprise fish close to picnic tables - I was so surprised I got my camera wet while struggling with the fish and it broke me off while I debated a beach shot. Perfectly fitting, that fish deserved anonimity I pray some of the showers I hit on the way home made it up to the peaks and refilled the banks. A perfect tonic to take my mind off taxes.

Christening the Heddon President & Granger Victory

I forgot to take the camera on my short hike to Rose Canyon Lake, so I took these rod shots when I got back to the vehicle. I have been working on a couple of restoration jobs and slowly replacing the flies I lost in the flood - the urge was too strong to resist a trip up the mountain before the gates to the lake open. A cool sunny day on the moutain, a bit of a breeze, but never enough to force me off the water. I bought the W&M Victory (8642) last year, the President the year before, but had not fished with them. Time to remedy that problem. I started with a Hare's Ear, then a PTN, but finally (around noon) started hooking small Browns when I tied on a PTN soft hackle with a clear glass bead. I hooked about 10, landed 5, all around 6-8". As I understand, these browns were stocked as fingerlings and they were a bit larger on average than last year. It is so nice to get something besides a stocked rainbow up here. I've got a Heddon Bill Stanley's favorite and HI Governor coming out of the drying cabinet this week, I will try to post the pictures next week. A couple more in the production line before I get to work on some of mine. More later!

A Warm Fall Afternoon

Creek levels were well below what I experienced here in April. The stream and fish were in very good shape. I took my daughters and 2 of their friends - everyone that fished caught a hybrid Apache Trout.

Almost all my fishing gear is still in storage. I had to borrow a reel and a box of flies. I had no tippet material and this little stream demands sacrifices of mono. I was fortunate in that the fish were very accomodating, in a fall feeding kind of mood.

I would have preferred fishing nothing but dries, but I figured it was easier for my novice partners to hook the fish on nymphs. A Hare's Ear was perfect and kept working even when my tippet was more suited to bass bugs.

All fish were promptly returned, I hope to see them when I return. I hit it perfectly this time.

RUNOFF IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA!

It's been a few years but I have visited this small Southern Arizona stream off and on for over a dozen years and I have never seen it this full. As you can see from the first picture, I did get a hybrid Apache on a Zug Bug, but finding quieter water was the challenge. I figure at least 2 more weeks before I can even think of dry fly fishing. Any fish here is hard won, but it's nice to know you can catch a trout within 2 hours of Tucson. I always like to explore while I'm here and the third shot is one of several Metates I came across in the area. It makes sense this was seasonally occupied being one of the few streams with year-round water - even now deer hunters have good luck in this area. I wonder how much more water it held in the past?

Yellowstone 2010

I'm very happy despite the specter of paying taxes next month. I have the rooms booked in Yellowstone and will be driving instead of flying this year. I am debating whether I should allow one or two days for driving and where to stay. I look forward to hitting the Lamar as I did in '08 (the picture above with Tom.

I had to share this painting, done by a very special artist. You will note that the expectant pose is the same. I have this painting in my office below the print of the Conejos River, between my bronze flyfisher and crystal trout. Hmm, I must hang a better bamboo rod to complement these lovely pieces. I will post some more restorations in a couple of weeks, I've been doing clean up and repairs. Did a 7 1/2' Montague Fishkill but forgot to take pictures of the after! It's 6 months away, too soon to start thinking of what rods to take?

Latest Work

Here's a nice little Devine Fairy rod I just re-did for my good friend Whitey. Those intermediate wraps were hell, but I had them down by the last section. I love the way the wraps went up the grip vs. a winding check on this rod, I may try this design the next time I turn a grip. I'm not sure this was the original wrap pattern - in Michael Sinclair's book, he mentioned red wraps, nothing about black trims. There was a delamination on one tip, but the invisible repair wrap seems to have done the trick. If the pattern works, you should see the new, then the redone section. This is such a delicate little rod, I don't know if Whitey has even fished it - it was an honor to work on it.

Restoration Work - Dec. 2009

I just dipped a Montague Flash Saturday and I finished the Mt. Tom last month. I will post the "after" pictures this weekend. I used some vintage Gudebrod Champion threads on these rods and was very pleased. I used Aerogloss lacquer as a color preserver on the Flash and love the way the color stayed true. I'm about to re-post the Mt. Tom on E-Bay to see if I can get a sale (the last one backed out at the end). I just started work on 7' Eastern rod for a friend, I am not looking forward to the intermediate wraps.

A Labor Day hike did the heart a lot of good, gave the legs a good workout and saw more hikers than I expected (but I have never hiked here on a holiday). I was very lucky in that it was cloudy most of the day, was certain I would be rained on, but I guess the humidity was up there as I was the roasting pig on way back up. I was glad to see so many dogs on the trail, I may have to take Mollie next time. A very nice day, good for the soul. I do wish the pictures had turned out at bit nicer.

Yellowstone 2009

Well, life became a good deal bleaker for me today. I just cancelled my room reservations for this year. I was truly looking forward to the trip, but nothing worked out as planned. The year started with such promise and a few spring hikes showed I was ready for the treks. The year was actually going well in spite of a downward trend in business, but this will cure me of being too optimistic in the future. So I don't get to visit Middle Creek (pictured) or hit the Drake hatch on Soda Butte. I'll use the money saved to pay down some bills, hmm, being practical has no soul.

LAST OF THE TRIPS FOR AWHILE

I always forget these photos post in the order I download them . . . the last shot is an eastward-facing view from Rose Canyon, before that is one of the Brown Trout that were stocked as fingerlings a fews years back - so nice to catch a fish there with a tail & fins! Family obligations will keep me off the mountain for a few weeks, so I'm glad to got try my different bamboo rods in April. I have to say, I had more fun casting the Phillipson Pacemaker over the 8 1/2' Heddon Black Beauty I used the week before so the Heddon may go on the market to pay upcoming college bills. The second shot is a special spot where I was able to close my eyes and reclaim my soul. You don't get the chance to hear running water in Southern Arizona very often, I may wait until the monsoons to see what happens here. The first shot was taken at the end of the day, I hated to leave but the band (& practice) was calling. It's been awhile since I was tempted to stay until all light and the heat of the day was gone, it would have been well worth it.

RECENT HIKES & FISHING TRIPS

I've taken advantage of some days off during the week to fish and hike my local sky islands. Rose Canyon Lake produced a ton of fish a couple of weeks ago when I went with my buddy Fly Rod McLeod, I even caught my first browns at Rose Canyon. A week later they kicked me - only 3 fish all day - my excuse is they had just been stocked the day before so they had not evolved into "fly" fish yet. That's my 8 1/2' Heddon Black Beauty Rod resting on my backpack. I've had some very nice hikes at Madera Canyon - found a wonderful resting place recently - I closed my eyes, listened to the leaves, the trickle of the the stream and felt the caress of a light breeze. Quite enchanting, words don't do it justice, almost makes one believe in wood nymphs.

RECENT RESTORATIONS - THE AMHERST

I really wish I had taken some "before" photos here. The grip was ridiculously long so I cut a bit off and worked it into a cork reel seat. It wound up being a 6'9" rod that flips a short, powerful cast with a 6 wt. line. My fishing buddy and band mate Bob Diedrich wound up with this one.