Thursday, July 29, 2010

Definition # 5--- POSITIONING

Positioning:

Where the fly angler places oneself so that they can make the most ideal presentation to a trout or to a location where a trout is likely to be lying.

As an aside relative to a stream's "regulars":

It is a dead give-away that an angler is totally unfamiliar with a specific water when they set-up right where the trout hold! There is no harm if they position themselves away from where the trout are since they will not spook the trout into hiding. BUT, if they position themselves at the least ideal presentation location (on the trout!!); the next angler has to rest the area for an inordinate amount of time before the trout return to their feeding or prime hold from which they where spooked.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Definition #4--- DEATH GRIP

Death Grip:

Simply, breaking-off a trout because of not giving the trout line. Alternately known as not giving the trout its "head"or not letting it run and take-out line. The break-off can occur at a leader knot or hook knot. Either way, It is a clean break (no "pig-tails"...poorly tied knot); strictly "pilot error."

There are three types:

1-grabbiing/stopping the reel's handle as it spins line off the reel
2-pinching the line to the butt section of the rod with one's line-hand
3-pinching the line to the rod handle, between the reel and control finger

There is a higher probability of the death grip to occurr with fly anglers who are relatively new to the sport and/or those who are not accustomed to fighting large trout.

Friday, July 16, 2010

A Guide's Dilemma

What is a guide to do in the heat of battle? Bark-out commands like a rabid Smokey-da-Bear-Capped DI (Drill Instructor...having experienced a few) or stoically say nothing & let the client go with their instincts? I'm sure the answer is somewhere in between.

Over the years I've realized that most of my streamside incantations occur when I'm guiding/instructing a beginner or intermediate fly angler (whatever the latter means) who may have limited experience hooking, playing & landing a decent trout. With an experienced fly angler, generally, a lot less encouragement & coaching is required.

The more intense scenarios by this emotionally unrestrained Italian's yelling & screaming probably totally discombobulates the client's instincts of what to do. Actually I'm still trying to temper my behavior & there seems to be some progress...after all these years. Lots of times I do apologize if I was a bit too vocal & most times the client says it was OK or they were not offended by my behavior. I'm sure there have been times when they may have white-lied a bit.

When your adrenalin is pumping and your client is into a big fish there is a tendancy...for sure...that both of you want to net the trout. Of course I have ulterior motives; my personal gratification since I'm actually fly fishing THROUGH the client. But more important to me is the elation & sense of accomplishment that the client may experience. I call this notion the "shareable world"; the passion of mutual experiencing an event. Plus, I/we do enjoy the high-fives, fist-bumps or primal-screams that occur at the net and/or upon the realease.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

3rd Big Bug of June..adult?

I was was guiding on the upper BT on Wednesday and had a brief conversation with a fly angler who I've had e-note communications with since we met at the Pleasanton FFing Show. He mentioned all the Golden StoneFlies he had seen. I mentioned that, personally, I have not seen any adults...yet. Nor had I see any shucks on the boulders. Admittedly, I have not been in the canyon for over a week. Was he speaking about nymphs?

He returned a perplexed look, as if saying "Are you blind?". No, although I do wear corrective lenses & is the reason why I may be alive because I opted-out of becoming an infantry officer in Vietnam. I was being honest and I have to surmise that the adults are prolific in the canyon which he had visited the day before. Yes, I have received reliable intel of them in the canyon; which is a great location to be now for aggressive, "combat-waders" since the flows are below 575 cfs....hint.

As soon as he ventured upstream I returned my focus to the client. Then, I saw ONE shuck of a Golden, amongst a cluster of at least 50 little Yellow Stone exo-skeletons on the downstream side of a mid-stream boulder. For sure, there are plenty of the latter flying around and in the bushes..............with an impressionistic #14 down-wing pattern getting attention at the surface. Regardless, use the NYMPH of the Golden, it will draw attention...below...for more consistent hook-ups.

Yeah, I know it is more of a rush to see that explosion at the surface.