Desk Jobs and Sim-Fishing

It's really not as bad as it was 20 years ago...sitting at a desk and moving papers around, talking on the phone, and the endless emails. Office jobs for folks who would rather be living the dream and fishing full time can be better than you may think. Not everybody can fish 300 days a year, unless you are an often out of work fishing guide or a super trust funder. Let's go over a few of the many ways you too can turn your painfully boring and mindless day job into not only a productive, but a gratifying fly rodding fantasy desk jockey. We'll call it Sim-fishing.

First let's confirm the positive benefits of a 40 hr per week career. Paycheck,medical-dental, retirement, ability to have normal marital relations, house, 3 cars, and a $1200 BBQ on your back porch. You may have 2-5 weeks off a year and can travel to cool and reclusive fishing hideaways, that's nice. These are very good things to have, the most important being security.

Here are but a few ideas to make your maligned office existence personally satisfying.

• Internet. A wealth of fly fishing sites. Blogs galore, You Tube (at least an hour a day on this alone), trip planning for your next vacation to the Missouri, checking out water projections, fishing reports, and emailing like minded people. That's a whole lot of time to suck up in any given day. Thank Al Gore for inventing this mind blowing tool. Suggestion: Subscribe to RSS feeds so your not the last one to get the latest news!



• Have a fly rod in the car for lunchtime casting. Nearly every parking lot has a small patch of grass, use it. Try taking the garbage out twice daily and stealing 5 minutes of distance casting practice.



• Hide a small vise in your desk. If you remember those old desks with the slide out typewriter shelf you are getting older, but they have the perfect stowable location for mid-day tying fixes. Just tell your boss your psychologist prescribed 30 minutes of stress free activity per work day. Use the Internet to create an authentic replication of a doctors note.



• The magazine inside of the TPS Report trick. This is an old gag, but still effective. The Drake magazine fits neatly inside the dry like toast document staring at you on your desk. Simply slip inside, recline, look interested, and enjoy.



• 1000 mile stare. Works every time. Let your mind wander and take a mental vacation, (see blog Go to your Happy Place ) save for late afternoons when you are worthless anyway. If supervisor asks what you are doing...have premade asskissing answer prepared.

I'm sure while taking paid office fishing allowances you will think of even more ways to create a positive work environment. Isn't that what every boss strives for, a healthy dynamic? If you think about it, it would do the whole office good if you embraced just a few of these practices. Go ahead and enjoy your desk job. Just make sure to include a little personal health and never stop Sim-fishing.

All Present and Accounted for

Yes, true, Mike and I did have a wonderful day with Capt. Scott Yetter. He possess the knack of putting guests on fish in even the worst conditions. As all tested flats Captain's do, finding successful situations, he really came through for Missouri River Outfitter Mike Kuhnert. The look on Mike's face was priceless. And who doesn't get tired of looking at Permit release photos. Water temps in the mid 60's, NE winds at 20 mph, and Scott with a great plan. Never stray from the plan, true in many, many fishing situations. Mark also had a Permit on for about 5 seconds, and then, as often the case, he released himself before the glory shot. So high and then so low. All part of fishing!

Mike, Capt. Andrew Tipler, and neighbor Bill wandered down to the cesspool of the entire eastern seaboard, Key West, for an evening filled with cocktails, topless (females) mechanical bull riding, and a couple other locales not appropriate for our entire reading audience. Mark was the designated driver, as you always need, and viewed all behaviors with a smirk glued to his face. We did see several cars on the side of the road with red and blue flashing lights accompanying them while driving home. Fun was had by all and a perfect addition to the first part of the day. Catching a Permit requires a whole lot of celebrating! It ranks up there with first fish on a dry, first 20" fish, first kiss, first time with an attractive...you get the point.

Today Mike is reloading, after a long futon slumber, for yet another flats adventure. The damn wind may not recede for a while. Scheduled to fish with Capt. Tom Morgan on Saturday, yes, Captain Morgan, the ironies of life in the lower Keys never cease to humor me. He claims to have the perfect plan...always trust your guide! So hopefully Mike will have more glorious stories to recant and maybe another trip to Key Weird? Who knows.

News Bulletin: Stopped by McDonald's drive-thru at 3 am as an antidote for the bottle of Sapphire swimming around in Mike's belly. Ordered 2 Big Mac's and 2 cheeseburgers, 2 cokes. Pretty standard and stereotypical selection for any time of the day and the fella squawked back...no Big Mac's, no cheeseburgers...what kind of deal is that? I asked if they were out and he replied no. Those two items are not available after midnight. I think this is UnAmerican! Quite possibly the two most commonly ordered items and not available. This is an outrage!! As I finish this entry I am calling McDonald's Headquarters to get to the bottom of this debacle. Stop the Insanity!

Happy Permit dreams Mike, enjoy the temporary glory, it is all downhill from here.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Keys...

As I sit here watching the snow fall silently outside the window, (wishing it was spring or that I was somewhere warm) I recieve this email from Team Headhunters in the Florida Keys. Guide Mike Kuhnert is down to spend a week or two fishing with Mark before they return to Craig. They've been spending plenty of time on the water, usually with Capt. Scott Yetter. Looks like they had some success today, despite what appears to be some pretty windy conditions.

Here's a picture of Mike who caught his first Permit. What a beauty. Glad Kuhnert is getting some good fishing in before he heads back to dreary old Montana. Nothing in the world beats a Permit! Looks like Capt. Scott put him in the right position to close the deal. OK Mike, you've got that out of the way, now it's time to get back to reality. Word is, he and Mark are heading to Key West this evening for some naked bull riding...not sure what that's all about, but I hope they shower up afterwords.

Mark looks pretty happy with this Jack, and he should be. Though not one of the big three, Jacks put up a great fight. Watching a Jack (or group of them) chasing your fly or lure is about as exciting as it gets, especailly for a trout fisherman accustomed to the gentle rise of a sipping Brown Trout. They are voracious predators. On a windy day in the Keys, Jacks can really save the day. Cuda, shark or Jack...I vote for the Jack any day!

Have fun guys. Spring is on the way, and you'll both be rowing for dollars before you know it.

40 Days and Counting

With winter coming to an end, its hard for me to concentrate. Forty days or so before its time to leave for Craig, MT, one of the greatest places on earth. My flies are organized (at least I'm done looking at them , they'll never be organized), my fly lines are clean, my floatants have been condensed; I'm ready to fish. With nothing much left to do but wait, I find myself daydreaming of all there is too do in Craig during the spring time. With all the endless possibilities, it's real tough figuring out what to do first, but I'm sure I'll manage.
I can't freakin' wait to see everybody! John and Julie, John and Melanie, Mark, Mike, Jessy, Stacy, Michelle, Luke, Dave, and everyone......Its gonna be great to be back. I can't wait for the baetis, and tons of rising fish. I can't wait for the first day nymphing when we absolutely wreck em'. I can't wait to chuck streamers at those long, thin, aggressive spring browns. I can't wait to float the Dearborn, and blow out my arm by making 5,000 casts with weighted streamers and sink tips in my six hours of fishing. I can't wait to go bushwackin' on the third Monday of May. I can't wait to wear sandals to work. I can't wait to drink with the best of them. I can't wait for the guest appearences of charecters like Tony V. and L.G.; true good ol' boys and true professionals. I can't wait to learn so much more about flyfishing, on one of the greatest classrooms in the world, with the best teachers. I can't wait to hang with all the fun clients that come and go.
Of all the places to live, work, and fish, Craig, Montana is one of the best. Insanely good fishing and amazing people in a town small enough to hit a golf ball across. For all of you who have never been to Craig, you need to make the trip. For those who come year after year, see you soon enough.

Guides gotta fish sometime

Missouri River Outfitter and good shop friend Mike Kuhnert is visiting the sunny, albeit windy, Florida Keys and Mark for the next couple weeks. Let's hope the weather stays warm for his trip and he nuts up and catches a big Tarpon. We expect to see pictures! This is Mike's 2nd saltwater trip, with last years trip to the Bahama's, so no mistakes Mike. He'll be fishing with Capt. Scott and I'm sure Scott will see a couple meltdown moments. The bottom line is we want to hear if bonefish are more difficult than carp Mike. If you don't have success you will be in the proverbial dog house, just like the photo on the right. This is what we call affordable housing in the Keys, although looking at it closer...hmmm, could get a lot of reading done, the sun's out, it's water front, and looks like you could make a cast from the deck, never shovel snow..etc.

It's February and the shortest month of the year, also the slowest booking for a lot of outfitters...so some, the lucky one's hop a jet airplane and go flats fishing. Guides do gotta fish sometime!

Choose your fishing partner wisely

When planning any fishing outing it is imperative to select your company with care. We all have fished with folks that we did not mesh with, and come away from those experiences with a little disdain. Fingernails on the chalkboard. A bad taste in your mouth that can only be washed out with vast amounts of cheap bourbon. Fishing with the correct companion can elevate the entire experience creating an environment of bliss. This decision needs to be taking very seriously, especially if you are fishing with a guide and scheduled to be trapped in close confines for the space of a week. Drift boats become suddenly smaller if your fishing compatibility level is near zero. Ask yourself these simple questions before embarking on a trip of a lifetime and therefore eliminating the chances of fly fishing hell.

• First and foremost; Do you enjoy their company outside of fishing? Are you good friends? Have you fished together before? Are you the type of person that loves to see your buddy hooked up and are the #1 back of the boat cheerleader? If you aren't, consider not choosing this individual.
• Will you let your buddy cast at the only large brown trout you find all day? Do you achieve equal enjoyment witnessing and participating in his successes?
• Are your fly fishing styles compatible? If you happen to be only interested in Head Hunting, but your fishing pal is a nymphing machine? Your worlds may and will collide.
• Is he an expert and constantly casting over you and to your fish? You are a beginner and don't have a competitive bone in your body? This may not work.
• He talks incessantly about a number of topics you could care less about. You are quiet, introspective, and fishing for you is a time to slow down, absorb the scenery around you, and the catch rate is secondary. Not the right mix.

These are but a few questions that you should ask your self before planning any destination trip. The main rule is to fish with people you like and enjoy. Bar none. We take fishing trips for a variety of reasons. A little soul searching will help you understand what you would like your vacation to achieve. Don't make the mistake of choosing the wrong partner. I have seen trips go south a few times and it can conjure up unnecessary tension as well as uncomfortable feelings for all involved. Just choose your fishing partner wisely and have a real bang up time!

Top 10 fly fishing rides of all time

Just one fella's take on the best fishing vehicles of all time. Everybody will have their own opinions on this, but will agree on the criteria. The primary requirement is will it hold a fly rod within the vehicle. This narrows the selections greatly, because the interior must accommodate a 9 foot long rod. You can of course break the rod in half, but true trout bums will scoff at this additional and unneccessary task. Trout fishing folks are not opposed to bunking down in the back of their ride, so a large boat like vehicle is dual purpose. Having a ton of room inside is a plus. Coolers, gear bags, rods, fly boxes, piles of technical clothing, and scattered bags of beef jerky, empty beer cans, and spilled McDonalds fries. The list could be much longer, but ten should suffice. Here's my list.

1. Late model Suburban. I know it's not old, but is the best fishing ride of all time, and it might as well be new, so it runs most of the time. A no brainer, large, 4WD, A/C, heated seats, DVD player for killing time in between hatches, leather does not absorb river water from your waders, and put many strung up rods in and still have room for the dog. Pro: Perfect rig. Con: Car payments.


2. Subaru Outback. Hurts me to say this, but I did own one, as it is kind of the beginner Suburban. It gets great mileage, all wheel drive, runs forever. Enough room to have rods in it, although they rest on the dash. All Subaru's qualify and will not let you down. Pro: Always runs. Con: Junior league.


3. Early 80's land yacht station wagon. Like the Crown Vic, Country Squire, any American wagon like your mom used to drive. Bombproof car, really cool with drift boat behind it. Find the wood panelled version, that's the best one! Pro: Acres of room. Con: Carry a gas credit card


4. Horse. When you trot on up to the bar, you will be the coolest guy in town. Old west style, tie off to the hitching post and roll on in to swoop up the river cowgirls. Pro: Eats grass. Con: Poops


5. 68 Dodge A100 Sportsmen Van. Super cool style that was unfortunately left behind in the 70's. Full wrap window somewhat curved, but with clean lines, barn doors in the back, 3 speed maunual on the tree, and bench seats for your fishing crew. Pro: Very cool. Con: No parts brother.


6. Any $1000 mini van. Cannot deny this ride. Cheap to run, automatic so you can stare at the river while driving, sliding doors, you can find parts everywhere, oxidized paint always included, am/fm tape deck. Pro:If it breaks down, leave by side of road. Con: Your mom wants her mini van back.


7. Honda Trail 90. This may qualify for the secondary fishing vehicle, perfect addition to the A100 Sportsmen Van, and awful pragmatic. Rig a rod holder, a basket for the Budweiser 6 pack, and beep the horn while flipping off bait flingers. Pro: Gas sipper. Con: Highway drives are a bitch.


8. 90's VW Syncro Westfalia. This is the 4WD version produced for a short time. Pop-top, hook-ups for water, power, heat, stove, toilet, sound system of your choice, awning for shade, it is home on the river. The trout hunters dream vehicle with lots of room and all the ammenities. Pro: Has everything. Con: Still really expensive.


9. 64 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. A fine vehicle in its own right, huge engine, constructed of Pittsburg's best steel, as comfortable as cars come, big enough to house your entire quiver of fly rods, a trunk large enough to set up a tent in, or put your sleeping bag on the dance floor sized hood. Has to have a hitch towing a classic wood drift boat. A plus if the color of the car and boat match. Pro: You will atract fly fishing chicks with a Cadillac. Con: With all the groupies, who has time for fishing?


10. The truth is any vehicle that gets you to the stream is the right ride. As fishermen we seem to adapt to many situations and even a Geo Metro will suffice. Who cares if fly rods we use are longer than the entire car. Pro: You already own it. Con: If it is a Geo, your buddies will never let it go!

Vehicles that will never make the list...

1. Hummer H3. This is the beginner's Humvee. Officially known to trout guides as the Bummer. "Dude, how much did you have to pay for that Bummer?"


2. Chrysler PT Cruiser. I've never liked that car, just looks silly to me. A bad idea pursued through production. A strong candidate for "group think," with nobody speaking up at design meetings and saying..."Are you people crazy, that is not an attractive car!" I call people that drive them PT Losers.


3. VW Bug. Cute, efficient, terrible trout ride.


4. Bicycle. Just not practical. Have you ever had the displeasure of peddaling uphill into the perpetual wind present on any trout stream?


5. Late model Volvo's. Keep that at home with soccer mom. Bad joke...Q: Do you know the difference between a porcupine and a Volvo owner? A: The porcupine has the pricks on the outside.

Go to your happy place...

Spending time in your happy place has never been more important than right now. In light of the current terrifying economic news it is easy to slip into an anxious daily existence. It's not good for your constitution. If you are unable to ditch work and physically make some casts, you surely need a few minutes of escape to get right. Fly fishing meditation. Fly fishing memories provide a perfect mental landscape for a mini-vacation inside your head.

Simply let your mind slip downstream to any one of those wonderful and sometimes religious memories of fly fishing. Whether that be standing waist deep in a steelhead run, stalking an impossibly large brown trout sipping on the bank, or reclined in the back of a drift boat listening and laughing as your fishing buddy recants the horrors of his last blind date. There are so many outstanding moments that fill the fly fishing life that recalling and reminiscing is far more effective than the mood leveling drugs your doctor suggested. Not only does it lower your blood pressure, it is far cheaper.

Fishing is an activity that is truly good for the soul. All your worldly worries can fade away as you morph into the subtle soothing sounds of absolute nothingness. Being able to access your happy place is so very easy and the immediate rewards are priceless.

Spend some time there...visit often

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Girls Win!

This is such a great picture from 2008 we just had to post it again. Alison was fishing with guide Mitch Kowalski through PRO. Mitch guides for us as well, and put Alison into this great Brown on a dry fly.

I have fond memories of fishing with my Dad every summer on the Madison River as a child. I hadn't been back in almost 20 years, and thought it would be a fun Father/Daughter get away, for old times sake. So we headed up to the Missouri River. Thanks to a great, and very patient guide, Mitch, I landed what will I am sure be the biggest Brown I will ever catch in my lifetime! I am looking forward to getting out of the city and going back to the river very soon. Great memories!

Alison Lindgren

Bobber Fishermen Unite!

Ask any subdued and stoic fisherman staring into his high dollar Scotch at your local fishing bar how he did on the river today and you better have laid aside 30 minutes for the inevitable forthcoming mind numbingly boring dissertation. This will likely include...

• Lots of chest puffing, 4-5 minutes, about why he is DFO; if you are you'll know what that means
• 7-10 minutes of fly selection, including mayfly sub-stages you have never even heard of
• 3-4 minutes of mispronounced Latin identifiers about genus, species, sub-species, etc.
• 12 minutes of the effectiveness of 8X tippet made by some surprisingly secret manufacturer in France
• Enough boring lackluster conversation to remind you of the adults talking in any Charlie Brown episode...that funny wah, waahh, wah, wahh sound

See, you already want to discontinue reading this entry. Identifying the nymphers in the crowd is very simple. Look for the guys and gals bellied up to the bar having an absolute ball. Shots, toasting, smiles, and comfortable with themselves exhibiting complete satisfaction. I might add that these folks are generous and are not afraid to buy a round for the bar...even the guy sitting quietly at the end of the bar glaring at the folks having fun. A conversation with nymphers will include things like...

• Dude, do you know what time the Red Sox play tonight?
• Fishing, yah, we wrecked 'em today. We landed the first fish...
• 8X? No, why...you can land every fish on 3 & 5X. Who fishes with 8X anyway?
• Hey, man can I get you another beer? Cool.

Here is the begrudging but necessary disclaimer. I love all classes of fishermen, love to dry fly fish, and by no means intend to upset the DFO's...but seriously, you should learn to get over yourselves. Fishing is supposed to be fun. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

What a number of DFO's don't realize is the difficulty of being a top notch nymph angler. It's not just tossing the fly out and hanging on til the inevitable grab. It's not bait fishing, although I don't mind that pursuit either. Let's quickly break it down. Dry fly fishing requires you to fish only the top centimeter of the water column. Dry fly fishers can see the fish eating, obviously eating, you know where he is and he is eating. With the proper presentation, the fish will eat the fly. You can see everything. There is very little imagination in the DFO's world. 1 dimensional fishing. In the nymph world, you have to understand the entire water column and sense what is happening with the flies subsurface. Do you have to cast as far, no, but in certain situations you do. Do you have to pay attention, think about depth, read the micro currents in 3 dimensional scale, yes. Does buliding the nymph rig require more knowledge? Yes. Length, weight, leader design, bobber placement and so on. I believe that effective nymph fishermen are more well rounded andglers than effective dry fly fisherman. If St. Peter judges the total number of fish caught, and how well rounded your fishing knowledge is, I see more nymph fishers gaining access to the hallowed halls than DFO's.

Nymph fishing can be so very subtle. The bobber very rarely goes under and swims upstream, well it does, but only when you are checking out a giant eagle flying over head. Most of the time it may just pause, ever so slightly, and boy go ahead and hit it hard. I'm talking about a movement of 1mm, yes, 1/10 of a centimeter. Nymphers and only nymphers know what I am talking about here. The best nymphers are striking every movement contrary to the current and consequently catching the most fish. They don't pretend to know if it is a fish every time. A boatload of fish have been caught when an angler is really tuned in! If you really want to increase the difficulty, try sight nymphing without an indicator. A truly entertaining exercise and upper level fishing. See the fish, present the fly, and watch for any movement towards the fly. I challenge DFO's to execute this difficult task. You will indeed learn something. Having as many tools in your bag allows one to catch fish anytime. Why limit yourself to only one discipline?

Guides love nymph fishermen. Just put on the bobbers and commence with the often talked about but seldom executed catching version of fishing. This faction does not care about the difficulty of a dry fly situation and is not at all embarrassed about dredging the bowels of the river. They have never heard the famous line..."That's why they call it fishing, and not catching." Fishing is fun and getting the net wet often with great looking Rainbows is damn cool. You know what, the fish fight just as hard if they are hooked subsurface. You also don't hear many dry fly fellas recanting the days tale with 40+ to hand. Well, let me add a qualifier...you do hear that story, but us nymphers recognize this value is a load of shit. Of course it happens, but not with the regularity it does while fishing on the dark side. Once again, another damn disclaimer. Nymph fishers can string several Kick-Ass days together and really get their fix!

The reason a number of guides love to nymph fish is directly correlated to success. If you have ever been guided, as I know most of you have, you must have realized the guides can have a touch of ego. It is not that they feel above anybody, because they truly don't. Remember, they are sitting in the middle of the boat, and any guide will tell you the goal is to move to the King's seat in the front of the boat. It is just that it feels pretty good to be out fishing the boats around you, and guides are fiercely competitive. Not that they lose sleep over an underwhelming day, it just may cost them an additional $40 in Bombay Sapphire trying to ease the pain.

Clients and recreational nymphers love to nymph for various reasons. It still qualifies as fly fishing, beyond what the rest of the fishing population believes. There are many facets to fishing, and why not be involved in them all. If the fish are not eating on the surface, why not put the flies in the sub-surface arena? Isn't that truly matching the hatch? Put that in your pipe and smoke it. It requires greater knowledge to be really good at nymphing. Reading and understanding the entire topography of the water system is crucial. Making mental maps and placing the fly into imagined holding lies requires analytical thought. You can take it to any level you want to. I will say it yet again..."I have met a lot of great dry fly fishermen, but very few great nymph fishermen."

Life is so full of difficult situations. Fishing does not have to be one of them. Fishing can and should include days where you rope 'em all day long. Landing a fish with in sight of both the put in and the take out and a pile of fish in between is very cool. I think this can be cleansing for your soul, in the same manner that DFO's feel a sense of accomplishment after working hard for a couple eats. There is a certain satisfaction of being successful all day long. It sure makes the cold beer taste better. All your worries drift downstream leaving you feelings you can't get elsewhere in life.

The reason for writing this rant about nymphers is to validate their experiences and techniques after hearing so many fly fishing snobs beat up on this faction. If everybody was DFO, there would be a ton more pressure on finicky sippers. The rising fish are not strangers to negative reinforcement. So DFO anglers should appreciate and applaud nymph anglers. It gives them room to pursue their own battles.

Nymph fishermen as a class are fun, willing to learn, excited about the sport, easy going, unpretentious, and they are definitely welcome in the fly fishing world. Nymph fishing is not the easy way out as some believe. It requires a skills set that may be overlooked and under appreciated. I am here to promote, recognize, and encourage nymph fishermen around the world to not lay down their rods or hold their heads in shame. Stand up and fight my brothers and sisters. Drink draft beer, laugh until your sides hurt, and extend the net in honor many times a day! Bobber Fisherman Unite!

Just another day in the Keys

Fished with Capt. Scott Yetter again today, as I do many days he is not guiding. This number used to be a lot more, but he has become so damned popular that my opportunities are fewer. I am certainly not complaining as I really don't want to fish several consecutive days anymore, as it is only half of the reason for wintering in the Keys. The other half being resting, reading, watching the day go by, etc. I am very fortunate to be able to fish other flats Capt.'s too, Capt. Morgan, Capt. Tipler, Capt. Gorton, and John Arnold when he is here too. John is of course in MT this winter doing a fine job creating new web sites this blog site, along with Julie. All of these fellas are terrific and I encourage anybody coming to the Keys to utilize their local knowledge to increase your opportunities while fishing for these often difficult gamefish. I will get back on track...fished with Scott again today. Out at 9 am and perfectly calm coupled with blue sunny skies. Poked around for a few redfish, blank. Wind had come from nowhere, which means out of the north sucking the moisture right off the suface and suspending it in the sky in the form of dark grey clouds. Shit, foiled again.

The weather wherever you fish is so freakin' fickle!...Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

It is really all one can do. Keep your head up and secretly pray to the fish gods. If that doesn't work, then lots profanity usually make me feel better. This generally does not help matters either, but it is one of the most common paths fisherman take to relieve the pain.
Scott and I had decided to head back to the marina and call it an early day. But wait...in true Capt. Yetter fashion...we went searching for another baby tarpon spot. Scott knows a ton of these locales, and is always on the hunt for more. We ducked out of the wind in a nearby canal. Urban style. If you have not been to the Keys you may not know that there are literally thousands of these canals that were created to build vacation homes. Therefore giving waterfront to many more homes that would originaly fit on the landscape. These canals are perfect for rearing tarpon. Protected, warm, and full of bait fish. We wandered around through the mazes talking and looking for rolling fish. Nada. By the time we exited the canal system the sky was blue once again. Aborted the respite and safety of the marina and ran to a nearby flat. Still heavy winds out of the NE and hid behind a east-west facing key. Now out of the wind and looking for a couple bones. 15 minutes of staring at beautiful water without seeing a target. If you have not saltwater fished, and your experience is trout based, you may be in for a rude awakening. There are hours filled with waiting with fly in hand poised to cast at a bone, permit, tarpon...we spotted a pair of little permit, 5 pounders, sniffing the edge hoping to find a morsel to chew on. In hindsight I was successful. This only means that I didn't spook the fish. The magic wand, aka fly rod, can scare the shit out of a permit merely by waving it around, not even getting the fly in the water! I made 4-5 perfectly executed casts in the direction of the permit, and he did not eat the fly. He also did not see the fly. Anticipating where to cast a fly at a meandering permit is like trying to predict the mood swings of a teenager, or your girlfriend. Failure. Or is it?

Is not spooking a permit with your fly considered a
success?

I say yes! It is really easy to spook those bastards. The fish did elude me and swam in a direction unbeknownst to either Scott or I. That shit just happens. They are ultimately wild creatures and permit are known to disppear into space. I felt pretty good about the experience, I will sleep just fine tonight. So the days go as I spend the reamining 2 weeks of my short 2 1/2 month truly wonderful stay in the Keys. Back home to Montana and the Missouri soon. I really am looking forward to it. I will remember all of these moments frozen in time this summer as I enjoy just another day in Craig. But until then, there will be a few more catches and exponentially more misses. Just another day in the Keys.

Captain Scott is a wonderful flats guide who just adores Tarpon, he is really good at finding them! To fish with Captain Scott Yetter in the fabulous Lower Florida Keys http://sightfishfloridakeys.com/ or give him a shout @ 305/304-6132

Open All Week (or most of it)

We'll be in the shop Tuesday through Sunday this week from 10am 'til 5pm. Stop by if you need a shuttle or anything else. The free coffee will be fresh and hot, and you'll need it looking at the weather forecast. Thanks to those who have signed up for our e-Newsletter, we'll be sending the first one out very soon.

We're busy getting ready for the opening of the season. Only 6 weeks until we go to a full time schedule. You'll see some neat changes in the shop along with new products. Our huge fly selection will be the highlight. Only stuff you need...

Headhunters e-Newsletter

Headhunters will begin publishing an e-Newsletter in the next month. Between Headhunters, Falls Outfitters and Get the Drift Outfitters, we've been publishing newsletters for several years. They are very popular, and we are constantly getting requests to publish more often. Unfortunately, "hard" newsletters are costly to produce and mail, and take a lot of time to put together (almost impossible during the season). We've been knocking around the idea of an "e-Newsletter" for a few months, and have decided to do it. We hope to produce this 6-10 times a year, as opposed to our two traditional newsletters.

This new format will keep you up to date with what's going on in Craig and on the Missouri. We'll be able to include more information, instead of editing out what won't fit. It will also have links to other news or articles that we feel are relevant. We will also use it to announce any specials, events, or sales we may be having...something we never would have done with our traditional newsletter.

There will be a few hurdles to overcome, and we'll need a little help from our customers. While we keep very accurate address lists, we haven't done such a good job with emails (not everyone uses email for correspondence). Some of you have multiple email boxes, and don't check all of them. Some email services will place it in your Junk box, especially if you haven't signed up for it (so look there). You will notice several places on our site where you can sign up (see sidebar) for the new e-Newsletter with a couple of mouse clicks.

We're going to fire an initial e-newsletter out to a few of you that we have solid emails for and have had recent email contact with. Even if you receive this first e-Newsletter, we would like you to sign up through our website. It goes without saying (but we will) that we will never share any of your personal information or email addresses with anyone. We don't buy mailing lists and we don't sell them. Please let us know if there are any problems in appearance or with opening it.

For those that still like those old-school newsletters, we will probably continue to send at least one a year.

What in the heck is a Switch Rod?

2009 will not be remembered as the year lots of new and exciting ideas hit the fly fishing market. When Mark and I attended the Fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver last fall, we found very few new and original products. You know, those "life altering" items like the buff, thingamabobber, gore-tex waders, zingers, graphite rods, and if you go way back, floating lines. Rod manufacturers didn't offer many new models or improvements either, but nearly every one of them had a new line of switch rods. For 2009, Headhunters will be carrying models by both G Loomis (by far the best and most expensive) and Echo (great price). Here's a little bit about them.

What is a switch rod? Well, it's kind of a cross between a modern two-handed (or spey) rod, and a traditional single handed fly rod. They are short enough to cast as a single handed rod (though they are a bit clumsy), and they have just enough length to execute several different spey casts. Nearly every model we saw was 11 feet, or within a couple inches of it. They have a handle similar to a two-handed rod, but in a smaller and shorter size. These are not lightweight two handed rods, which generally run around 12'6", and often have a traditional "spey" action which is too slow for accurate or powerful single-handed casting.

History

Switch rods really aren't new. I bought my first one in '98 or '99 (I can't remember). It was a new model from Scott, 11'3" 6 weight. The term "switch" didn't even exist. The guys from Scott described it as "a long single handed rod that we put this funny handle on so you can do some spey casting with it but we really like it for nymph fishing especially in pocket water but maybe not from a boat because it's so long it's hard to land a fish and it's a great streamer rod as well, especially if you're wade fishing and you might want to try it for light summer Steelhead on the Ronde and Fletcher White thinks it would make a great Bonefish rod too". In other words, they didn't really know what they had. Spey casting was getting popular,but nothing like in the last five years, so that element wasn't going to sell that many rods. Kudos to Scott, however, for being ten years ahead of the curve.

So why are they becoming popular now if they have been around for so long? Because while Scott (and a few others) had come up with a ground breaking idea, the line companies didn't have a line that worked very well on it. At the time, spey lines only went down to a 7/8/9 range, and really had too long of a belly for a 6 weight trout rod. This was back when Steelheaders were still doing proper spey casts with long belly fly lines (maybe I'll share that opinion at another time). Very few anglers were using anything short enough to use on an 11 foot rod. I tried a bunch of lines, and finally settled on a Rio Windcutter #7 line. It worked OK overhead casting, but I really couldn't do a very good spey cast with it. After a year, I decided the rod was just a novelty, and it spent most of it's life with me in the closet.

Fortunately, there were a small group of guys on the Skagit River that were hacking up lines and splicing them together to build custom spey lines for their Two handers. At the smae time, European anglers were developing their own shooting head systems. These eventually became known as "Skagit" and "Scandinavian" lines. Skagit (and Scandi) lines have a much shorter, heavier head than traditional spey lines. They are made for shooting line and turning over large, bulky flies. These lines are often used with a sink tip on the front. Because they have a shorter head, they work much better when spey casting with your switch rod. Last year, several line companies came out with "compact" Skagit and Scandinavian heads, which are even shorter. These are ideal lines for switch rods, and allow you to perform nearly any spey cast with your switch rod. They aren't perfect for single handed casting, but they finally give you a line that you can use for both situations.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Switch rods give you several advantages over traditional-single handers. They allow you to easily cast and mend tremendous amounts of line. You can also set the hook with as much as 50 (or more) feet of line out while nymphing. Once you learn a few spey casts, you will find that you have a whole new repertoire of casts that you can use when the wind is coming from the wrong direction or you have trees and shrubs immediately behind you (you can, by the way, make all of these casts with your 9 footer as well). High stick or Czech nymphing techniques are a breeze with these long rods. And anglers that like to swing soft hackles or streamers will find that they can cover a lot more water with a switch rod. Steelhead and Atlantic Salmon anglers get to practice their spey casting during the "other" season as well.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Why wouldn't I get one? Well, switch rods do have three big drawbacks. For the most part they are horrible dry fly rods, especially for spring creek like conditions like we have on the Missouri. The lines designed for switch rods do not present the fly delicately, and are generally very heavy. A 5 weight "switch" line is actually much heavier than a normal 5 weight line. Now, you can use a traditional DT or WF line on your switch rod, but then you'll find spey casting difficult (or impossible, depending on the rod/line).

Secondly, switch rods are not very accurate due to their length. Trying to make an accurate cast to a rising fish with an 11 foot rod that feels like an 8 weight may frustrate many anglers. This will depend on your situation. A switch rod may help if you are wading the Madison and searching with a Salmonfly pattern in high water. But when stalking a big trout sipping trico spinner in 6 inches of barely moving water (think Missouri), there are definitely better tools. Remember that Lee Wulff believed that no rod needed to be longer that 7 feet. Lee caught more fish than any of us, and did it with equipment that was way inferior to what's available today.

The third disadvantage comes when setting the hook. For tall, strong anglers who put lots of 'umph' into their hook set, a switch rod will be fine. But smaller framed or weaker anglers may find moving an 11 foot rod a chore. While nymphing, you can set the hook hundreds of times during the course of a day. An 11 foot rod will wear you out much quicker. Because they move slower than a shorter, lighter rod, you might find that you miss a few more fish, especially when tired. I've had switch rods in my boat and have seen it both ways. You need to try it out and find out if it's the right tool for you.

Should you get one? ( Absolutely, I love to hear the cash register sing!_ You'll have to determine that based on your skills, situations and techniques. If you're a Steelhead angler who likes to spey cast and swing flies for trout, or a deep nympher who like to high stick or needs a rod for big water, then yes. If you are going to spend the rest of your life casting at noses 30 feet away in a foot of water, then no. Decide what you like to do, and whether or not a switch rod is the right tool for you. We will have some around the shop this summer for those who would like to try before they buy.

Fly Fishing's Winter Activities

Ever find yourself dreaming about Springtime and counting the days until your inaugural spring fishing outing? Yes? Me too! Winter seems to be the longest season, wedged between 9 wonderful months of Valhalla. There are some that venture into the frigid temperatures that old man winter brings us, fighting the perpetual ice in the guides syndrome. I have personally outgrown winter fishing, or have grown wiser (probably not!) as I age. For those of you who have real jobs, and cannot spend the winter months basking in the Florida sun making bad casts at game fish, there are certainly activities that can fill the voids in our twelve month fly fishing obsession. Let's visit two of these time killers (your wife may call them a "waste of time") that can prepare you for yet another successful year.

Casting
Casting, an activity you do outdoors because you are no longer allowed to do it indoors due to last winter's interior damage, is the best way to increase your catch rate. The beautiful thing is that it only takes about ten minutes a week to improve. Casting any longer than 10-20 minutes is counterproductive. Long sessions lead you down the road of regression and bad habits. The goal of practicing is to eliminate our non productive behaviors, not practice them. Here are a few tips to follow for success:

Start with a horizontal cast in front of you, meaning the rod is parallel to the ground, not perpendicular. Make a series of half casts, one at a time. Start with your line laying out to your left, start slowly moving the rod to the right, beginning to load it, accelerate and stop. The line, if done properly, will be 180 degrees to the right of the beginning point (left handers can reverse all of this). This is really just like the back cast, except we stop the rod and let it land. Now, do the front cast, opposite of the previous cast. Starting with the line on your right, and ending with the line landing straight and on your left. The front and back casts are mirror images of each other, one moving to the aft (right), and the other moving toward the fore (left). Practicing the horizontal cast is the most basic way to identify casting errors. If the cast does not land in a straight line, then we immediately know that the movement pattern was incorrect. We are breaking the cast down to the lowest common denominator. This is also an efficient learning exercise because we can see both the back and front cast. We so rarely look behind us when casting at fish to see if the line is uncurling correctly. In this exercise, finally we can see both sides of the equation. This is a great way to start your practice session and to become centered before moving to the next level.

We are now ready to airielize the cast. I do another short series of half casts, but this time with the rod vertical, or upright. A couple reps and I move into false casting. Start with 20 feet of line and over the next couple of minutes stretch it out. I love finishing the series with trying to carry as much line as possible in the air while false casting. Bruce Richards, a very well respected casting instructor, likes to use this drill as a way to increase your distance. Being able to carry an honest 40 feet in the air consistently is a great skill and will improve your casting immensely.

Spend the last couple of minutes going through all the trick casts you may use in a given fishing situation. The reach cast, the cast your guide asks you to execute and you remark..."I think I remember that one, can you show me again?"...is a damn good skill to possess. Throw a few to either side making sure the line at the rod tip finishes at a right angle. Tower casts for the trees that are always behind us; pile and "S" casts for tossing the fly upstream in pocket water situations; a batch of accuracy casts at various distances, and whatever specific cast your region demands.

A fun way to finish your weekly ten minute session is to cast with your off hand. How many times a year do you wish you could cast with your other hand? It would make things a lot simpler. It really does not take long to become proficient at 30 feet, although it may not seem like it at the start. Just a little work in the off season can bring great rewards when the time comes to cast at a real fish. The fish will hate you for your practice in the winter...but isn't that the goal?

Fly Line Maintenence
This is an activity that can absorb an entire afternoon if you wish, depending on how far you want to take it. I prefer to do this in front of the television. At some point you will need to sit down on the couch and untangle while watching football. This activity can easily consume the better part of a Sunday.

Dig out your fly reels and let's do a line inspection. It is probably dirty, as I very rarely clean it after the final use in the fall. Loosen the drag and strip the entire fly line onto the floor. It's best to do this in a carpeted area as to prevent damage to your lines. Don't do this in the garage or other places where gas, oil, or other toxins that can damage a line accumulate.

Start by Stretching the fly line. Remember that lighter trout lines don't need to be pulled on like a 12 weight Tarpon line, as too much pressure can actually cause the coating to separate, or you may even snap the line in half. Just create a little friction pulling the line through your hands 2-4 feet at a time, letting it cool in between repetitions. You can examine the line visually and find any nicks, separations, cracking, or rough spots. You may realize that this line is not going to make it another year and needs to go into some random drawer in your tying desk so you can look at it once a year for the next ten.

You may think to yourself, "Is this the line that was sinking last year?" They don't last forever, and should be replaced more often than most people think. Guides routinely replace their lines every 30 to 60 days! It is the most important part of our fly fishing outfit. The line is the vehicle that allows us to deliver the fly to our waiting prey. If you cannot get it there due to line issues, the fact that you have fish feeding in front of you is moot.

Cleaning each fly line is our starting place. There are a number of ways to do this, the most common being to use fly line cleaner purchased at your favorite fly shop, Headhunters Fly Shop in Criag, MT, on the world's best dry fly river (a shameless plug). These consist of a cleaning pad and a cleaner/lubricant solution. You can also wash it in lukewarm water in your sink with mild detergent. Use a soft sponge or "wondercloth" to wipe it clean. While fooling around with your lines, look at the connections between backing/line and the butt section/line and see if any need to be replaced or retied. It is not a bad idea to retie both, for a fresh start and to reconnect our brains with our fingers in a knot tying exercise. Now that your fly lines are ready to go for the upcoming season, you can move on to cleaning the garage or...open up your gear bag and untangle the mess of flies thrown in there at the end of the last fishing trip. But that is an entirely new project for next weekend.