Spey & Switch & Single Handed Rods

Waking Flies for Smallmouth Bass

2012-01-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

Pacific Fly Group Kiss of Death Variant

Tying Up Smallmouth Patterns - Sculpinzillas!

2011-12-30T19:32:00.000-08:00

Old acquaintances, familiar waters, and old friends

2011-12-27T13:25:00.000-08:00

This past Christmas was nice. The new families members all got together and played like all children do that are under the age of two! It was nice to be home, but I could not stop thinking about how wonderful it will be to go fish some of the Lake Erie tributaries on the Monday after the holiday. I kissed my wife good bye and she headed home. I got all my stuff together. On this outing I took my TFO 11’ 8wt (rated for 400-600 grains) to the river. I would string up the large arbor Battenkill number five with the Scientific Angler Supra Skagit 500 grains. This line has a head of 27 feet. I ran a 5’9” section of T14. This set up for the flows I was dealing with today would be the sweet spot in my humble opinion. The total grain weight of this exact set up is 580.50 grains. I would wade down to the lowest possible area at day break to swing for any steelhead that might be hanging out. I swung my Sculpinzilla. The pattern looks awesome wet better than I had planned for it. It’s defiantly made for sinking! I did not have any takers. The T14 tip was good for the flows all day. The area has had no snow, and everything I saw did not have any frost on it. The ground is saturated with water. I waded out from my first section, and proceeded to watch an angler walk right across the river. He never said “hey do you mind if I cross here” or anything. I reeled up my line and proceeded to choke him with it “allegedly”. No, I did not do anything I just walked on by him praying someday he would lose his stupidity. I don’t like fishing around people I don’t know and that one be just another reason I hate fishing around people. So I got a call from a friend and he said they would be at access X on the river. I thought cool I will go swing some flies laugh and see him. I walked up stream and saw him, and said “hey is this where the cool kids hang out”? He laughed and said how you been? I said the holidays have been great but it’s good to see you. He had a young lad with him Mario from all indications for being only 14 I believe can swing a mean switch rod. I proceeded to walk up stream with my friend to yet another gentleman he was fishing with. I watched the accomplished fly fisherman cast with an effortless stroke. That’s what I enjoy about two hander fishing. The less effort you put into it the better your cast is. He later offered some great advice to help me with my casting stroke. I took it all in and he was right jus ta little tweek made my cast go from 35 feet to 45 feet! I thanked him cause I have never had a reel idea what I'm doing, and have never been critiqued. I shook my friends hand and he went on fishing. I walked up about 400 yards and began to swing through some nice pockets, runs and riffles. I would lose quite a few flies here! I did not tie on my Sculpinzilla. I fished intruders purple over black, blue over black, and black over purple. Not one grabs or nibbles. I did not care I was on vacation up here for three days of this so I was bound to at least hook up once or so I thought. We fished along the same stretch of water for about an hour. They left before me and proceeded up stream. I went to knock on a door of an old friend and ask him if I could fish behind in house in the valley. He granted me access and seemed to be really happy I still ask after all these years. I walked down into the 300 foot gorge. I saw no traces of anyone else being here. That’s one thing about this place it’s a haul to get in and out. I saw remnants of the Bald Eagle nests. I was surprised not to see them this year. I normally see one of them when I snap a branch of two on purpose. They normally peek out of their nests and look at me! Well no fish where hooked in this section but once again it was all about being alone with hopes of possibly hooking a fish. Well enjoy the pictures!

Steelhead Nerds!

2011-12-22T20:01:00.001-08:00

Here is a website you folks may not know of. http://weatherspark.com/#!dashboard;ws=29769 its a great site for weather.

Ramblings, Mumblings of the Great Lakes Steelheader

2011-12-22T19:11:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder how people make it through the day. I miss the rivers I used to fish. I miss the fish and the rawness of the Great Lakes.

This past fishing trip was the best prescription a doctor could write. I know my wife said I could fish over Christmas holiday. I may fish and I may not. I like winter steelhead fishing to a point.

Here in the Great Lakes we have brutal temperatures. The water cools and holds the colder temperatures coupled with any wind makes slush. This slush creates a problem for winter steelheaders. Slush creates side ice along the rivers and creeks. This will eventually cause sheets of ice to form all over the rivers. The ice will lock up rivers and creeks. The fishing leading up to these events can be great but the timing can be very difficult. The air temps are so cold and coupled with the cold water temps makes casting fly very difficult. Radial ice forms around fly line and the leader material. This after awhile turns into cable? The longer you cast it the bigger the diameter of the radial ice gets. Now in saying this we have had a bizarre warm beginning to winter over the last two weeks. I’m going to pack up my pellet head fishing gear and head to the shores of Lake Erie next week.

My lovely wife has given me a three day fishing pass. Compounded by the fact there is zero snow on the ground and no ice in the rivers I will be fishing. I’m taking my custom Feathercast 10’6” 6wt switch and my TFO 8wt 11’ switch rods! I will take my full spey just in case the Grand is fishable! Well folks have a safe and happy holiday!

Cheers,

Tom

Sculpinzilla!

2011-12-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

Grain Weight, Rod Weight who is confused!

2011-12-07T18:35:00.001-08:00

Well to tell you the truth the entire two handed rod industry could not have made us more confused. Why do they sell switch rods with a line rating on them? Does anyone own a switch rod that is a 6wt that is strapped with a 6 weight line? I really doubt it due to the fact a switch rod or a two hander needs to be rated in grain weight only. For those even more confused by this let me explain. I own two TFO switch rods one 5wt rated from 250-450 grains, and an 8wt that’s rated for a grain weight window of 400-600 grains. I don’t have a grain scale yet, but I do know it takes a SA Mater Series steelhead Taper in a 7 weight (for the 5wt) and a 10 weight (for the 8wt) to load the rod correctly. So how in the hell can you load a rod correctly with a 5 weight or 8 weight lines? You simply can’t load the rods correctly by line weight alone. I just feel the industry has missed the bus again and has a lot of us confused, and some people are just afraid it’s too difficult to line a rod properly. Sorry for the rant, but I just wanted to help someone!

Tom

Good times, great food, and some good ole fishing!

2011-11-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

Warning some of the tactics use in the following blog entry used a spinning rod with flies on it “sorry to disappoint”! I have been planning this fishing trip for about 8 months. I traveled with Seth and Jim on this adventure. Anyone who knows me knows how ADD, OCD, and anal retentive I am. I looked at every possibility to get the maximum affect. I wanted to fish the Cattaraugus Creek so bad I could taste it, but she never came down fishable levels. The storm that ripped through the southern tier of New York dumped a few inches of rain. The winds had been howling at 20-30 mph. The next Saturday was the first day of gun season “double bonus”! I would take a new friend (Seth) with me and introduce him to the largest Great Lakes tributary he will ever fish! I know through the grape vine that all the king salmon where huge this year so I was hoping the rest of the migrating fish would follow suit. There are several green King around. We arrived on the banks of the Lake Ontario tributary at about 0530. We rigged our rods. O my I almost forgot! We stopped at Dunkirk Wal-Mart and had so much fun getting our fishy license! I have never had an issue getting a license until today. Number one I told the walrus working at the front desk we are here to purchase fishing licenses. She with her tusks barked out at us “well we will get someone there” sorry to have bothered you at 0230 I thought to myself! So we proceeded to go to the sportsman section to purchase them. Why on Earth would they send someone back there that does not know how to do this? It’s like if you had some fine black silk pillows and you wanted to take care of them would you just give them to any Laundromat, or would you give them the love and attention they deserve somewhere else? Instead we had to call for reinforcements. They called the manager to help her. Needless to say we got through it “one hour later “. So, back to the river bank! We waited for first light with our rods rigged up! I was fishing today with my full spey Reddington CPX 9wt and my Galvan T14. The fly line is a 675 gr RIO Skagit flight head attached with a 14’ long section of T17 for a total of 913 grains! This rod could easily handle more grain weight. I would also bring the egg beater! The egg beater gets flies put on it too don’t worry no bait! I would begin to swing the grey over white 1” copper tube fly at first light. I would connect with a very irritated 5-7 pound class Brown Trout. He had been in the river a little while. See picture below, photo taken by Jim Stuart “sorry for the low light horrible picture”.

This would be the only fish I would connect with on the spey rod. This was not due to the lack of trying. I changed patterns all the time. I also changed tips over and over again changing fly patterns! I even changed the length of the tippet material. So I brought the egg beater to plunge the depths of the river! I just put simple egg blood dot patterns on her chartreuse, pink, and orange on a 2488H hook size 14. The first day I hooked 9 huge Lake Trout and did not land a one! Those bull dogging fellers where strong and huge this year! I should have changed to heavier leader material on my Avid St Croix a Western style spinning rod. I was running 12 pound mainline. I was only using an eight pound test leader to start with (a good friend said go heavier)! So we left the river banks defeated, but with high hopes for tomorrow! I brought an eggbeater because I was going to get into fish by every legal technique possible! This was one of the few trips I have ever been on where I needed to hook a fish bad! I needed to feel the strike and the strength of the fish to help me reconnect. After being up for about 30 some hours we decided to go check into the hotel, and get something to eat. Our first food choice would be http://www.thewilsonhouserestaurant.com they have some great food and spirits, and with a great price point too! See a picture below of the meal I ate. They had a horrific band playing there, but the more drunk the audience got the better they

sounded I guess!

The hotel we stayed at was a great new little place called Lakeview Motel and Cottages. Wally & Chris Nowacki owns’ the place. Wally and Chris are great people. They treated us fairly and where very tentative to our needs during our stay! This was so close to everything for us in the immediate area. The can be found here http://www.lakeviewmotelandcottage.com , and the prices were great also! See pictures below. Wally thanks for those nice tokens of your generosity!

View from room Lake Ontario in the back ground

The smoking and burbon drinking area

Seth, and I getting ready to disembark the hotel!

The second day of being on the River I was feeling a little outmatched by these fish. We walked down to our spots and once again waited for day break. The Lakers were busting bait all over the place. The noises they were making was amazing some little splashes and some huge splashes. I forgot to mention the bait I saw along the river banks. I have seen small ribbons of bait before, but this time it was different. The bait was so thick I would not call it thousands but hundreds of emerald shiners where up against the shoreline. This day would prove to be the best day for me as far as quality fish. The first fish I would land would be a Laker in the high teen pound weight class.

He would take a size 14 pink blood dot tied on a 2488H hook. He was hook directly in the front of the mouth. The fight seemed to last forever with these fish this year. I almost did not want to hook a large fish. We stayed at the River for most of the day. The rest of the crew did not hook a fish. I will say something the River Guides on the bank did a great job staying away from us. The boat traffic was very bearable. The color of the River was clear out to 18” but after that it was a deep emerald green.

Here are some more fishy tanks!

Photo by Jim Stuard "my new fave picture"!

What you cant get from this picture was the immense size of the speciman. I was solo holding on to dear life by his tail. He was at least a 20# laker and the girth well it was immense! He fought for so long I had to return him to the water fast! His body was so long I could not fit in into the picture frame. He will forever be in my brain!

I will say one thing every place we ate at was awesome! The Steelhead Pub in Lewiston, New York is closed “the end of an era for me”. We found a new place across the street. This place you can wear your waders and walk right in off the river! We had some amazing food, spirits, and the prices are awesome. The Brickyard Pub and BBQ will be our go to spot in Lewiston, NY from now on "awesome brew options". It can be found at http://www.brickyardpub.com. Take a look at the pictures below! Sometimes no matter how great the game the chase is more fun than the catching isn’t that right my friend?

I could not get this picture to rotate! Shaved prime rib sandwhich one pound and sweet potato fries pricess!

We did go to another Great Lakes tributary to fish. I felt bad that they guys did not hook fish and I called a good friend of mine to help us out. The river is hard one to bust your cherry on! He took us to another tributary that was much smaller. The creek has a lot of chrome in it. This is where Seth would hook his fish. He hooked steelhead and was very impressed by their power. Seth is a diehard warm water fishery fly fishermen. He had no idea what to expect. He loves Whipers and fishes about 180 days out of the year for them. The following pics are from there.

Jim Stuard getting some!

Beat and battered we began on Sunday to head home. The weather going home was good until Columbus, Ohio. The rain started and made the drive a little pain in the butt. Well I want to thank all my friends who helped me with some great information and suggestions. I’m sure this will not be the last trip up north for Seth.

Well folks the trip was amazing

2011-11-20T06:51:00.000-08:00

Sitting here in Bob Evans waiting our departure. The full blog entry to be later this week. Have a great day!

Tom

3 more days untill departure for vacation!

2011-11-13T17:22:00.001-08:00

8 Days Untill Vacation Folks!

2011-11-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

I will have a full report on here!

Not more mercury for the Ohio River!

2011-11-01T15:22:00.001-07:00

OHIO RIVER VALLEY WATER SANITATION COMMISSION
5735 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45230 www.orsanco.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jeanne Ison, 513-231-7719

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) is requesting public comment on a request for a variance from its Pollution Control Standards provision which prohibits mixing zones for bioaccumulative chemicals of concern beginning no later than October 16, 2013. The request for a variance was received from PPG Industries, Natrium, WV facility and is in regard to their discharge of mercury to the Ohio River.

The Commission is accepting comments from the public from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, 2011. Subsequently, the Commission’s Pollution Control Standards Committee will consider the request and supporting information, as well as public comments received, and develop a recommendation as to final disposition of the variance request. Following development of that recommendation, a second 45-day public comment period will be held prior to the full Commission’s final decision.

Comments should be received in writing at the Commission headquarters, 5735 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45230 or by email at pcs@orsanco.org no later than Dec. 15, 2011. For more information on the variance request, visit ORSANCO’s website at www.orsanco.org or call ORSANCO offices at 513-231-7719.

ORSANCO is the water pollution control agency for the Ohio River and its tributaries. Member states include: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The federal government is also represented.

November 1, 2011

PCS@orsanco.org
5735 Kellogg Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45230
513-231-7719 Phone
513-231-7761 Fax
www.orsanco.org
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20 Days untill I stand on her Shore!

2011-10-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

A Great Man has Died!

2011-10-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

This story was writtyen by Tatiana Pina of the The Providence Journal Co.,

Priest dies after jumping off Newport bridge

http://newsblog.projo.com/2009/09/priest-dies-aft.html

The Rev. Dennis. J. Rocheford, 60, a long-time military chaplain and pastor at St. Ann Parish in North Oxford, Mass., died after jumping off the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge last Thursday, according to Rhode Island State Police.

Rocheford was on leave from St. Ann and also had been serving at the Chapel of Hope at the Naval Station Newport.

The state police received a call around 8 a.m. about a unattended vehicle on the center span of the bridge, according to Capt. James Swanberg. Newport police also went to the scene. When the police looked over the bridge railing they saw someone face down in the water, Swanberg said.

The Coast Guard and a Jamestown Fire Marine unit were dispatched to retrieved Rocheford's body. He was given medical treatment and taken to Newport Hospital where he was pronounced dead, Swanberg said.

The Most Rev. Robert J. McManus, Bishop of Worcester, responded to Rocheford's death on the diocese Web site. "It is with profound sadness that I ask the Catholic Community to pray for the repose of the soul of Father Dennis Rocheford. The diocese of Worcester was blessed over the years through his priestly ministry in parishes in Worcester, Fitchburg, Hopedale, Clinton, Blackstone and North Oxford. Many members of the military were also comforted by his dedicated service as a Catholic chaplain whether in Iraq or at Naval and Marine Corps bases at home. May his soul rest in the peace of the Risen Christ. Father Rocheford's death was tragic, but our faith teaches us that we must not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives... "

Rocheford became pastor of St. Ann Parish on July 1, according to Raymond Delisle, spokesman for the Diocese of Worcester. Rocheford lived part of the time at the St. Ann Parish rectory and at his personal residence in Jamestown, Delisle said.

After graduating from high school in Worcester, Rocheford joined the Marine Corps and served for three years, 13 months of which was spent in Vietnam. He received two Purple Heart medals and was awarded a Bronze Star for gallantry in action.

Rocheford was ordained a priest in June of 1977 and later joined the Naval Chaplain Corps serving in numerous military campaigns including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Before St. Ann he served as pastor at St. Teresa Parish in Blackstone, Mass

***********************************************************************************

The following is my input!

Yes Lt.Cmdr. & Rev. Dennis J. Rocheford (USMC) is a great man! He was also a survivor of the Battle at Hue city! He would hump pack with the Grunts knowing everyones name! I was baptised by him and the Bishop in Liberia, Africa. He guided me through some really dark times in my life. He was enlisted before and then became an officer if that does not tell you something about him. I cant type any more need to whipe my face. Rest in Peace sir and know you have touched the lives of many and have saved them all in one way or another!

Your Brother in Arms,

Tom

Sorry....it has been awhile!

2011-10-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

I will be headed to the Lake Ontario tributaries on November 17 and fishing until Sunday. My lovely wife had her knee surgery and is recovering at home. So until my wife is safe to leave at home I will be doing nothing other than working! So stay tuned folks it’s going to 35 days until I get hopefully into some Char, Steelhead or Browns! Pray for rain the Great Lakes needs it. This will be and ugly fall if we dont get any rain. For those who love Fall like I do almost spend as much time looking at her colors than fishing!

Be well,

Tom

Quality over Quantity!

2011-09-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

I talked with a friend of mine Terry and we would get together on a large tributary of the Ohio River today for some casting practice. On this section of water there is a riffle tailout that I dream of hooking a fish out of. I have fished there a few times and normally end up fishless. Its these challenges that drives me to return. I grabbed my 6wt switch by Feather Cast Rods, and my Redington Cpx 13’9” 9wt spey rod. I’m using a RIO Skagit Flight head 675 grain armed with a 191.25 grain (11.25’ long) piece of T17. This section of the river has a wicked gradient over the length of the river we fished today. On my switch rod I ran 375 grain Rio Skagit Spey Short, and the tip I used was an 84 grain (6’) piece of T14. This was to cover the more shallow slower current seams. I fished a small shad tube 1/8”x 1/2” copper tube and the hook was offset to the rear by four small glass beads. This put the hook into the last quarter of the fly. This is my preferred area for my hooks when I swing patterns. Terry and I met at Wendy’s to head to the river. We arrived at the river and walked down to the water’s edge. I looked at the deep riffle and thought O come on just cooperate just once! I swung the big stick and covered all the deep seams and current breaks with long casts and short casts. I was just about to switch to the switch rod when I felt a heavy thump on the rod! I was hooked up on a fish. It was no match for the rod but it did let me know it took my tube fly. I did not have to put the fish on the reel but when I brought it to hand it was a little irritated Saugeye about 16” in length. It was pretty and wanted to to get back into the river quickly so sorry no pictures of the two handed caught Saugeye. I automatically went to the river bank and lit up a cigar. I watched Terry cast his Scandi setup and took all of what Mother Nature was delivering this morning. I often find myself fishing off the beaten path. I fish off into another direction all the time hoping for some great outcome. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it does not. I look for the quality experience anymore and not the quantity of fish I can catch! Terry and I switched spots and I waded out to a small rock shoal. I looked at the water and she was moving at five hundred cubic feet a second so you just have to use your brain in these low summer flows and stay out of trouble! I was in the middle of the river swinging down and across in front of a huge wood pile. I would get again the shock of my day! I hooked a gar on the swing. I was happy I used 12 pound test tippet. The gar jumped three times. I thought to myself great. I just hook a spastic gar and its going to rip me to shreds when I go to retrieve the hook. After watching it cartwheel the third time I managed to reel all my line in and have it resting along the shoal in the water. She was about 30 inches long and actually pretty subdued. I did get Terry’s attention. I yelled help me out please. He walked up the bank to take my backpack to grab my camera. She almost swallowed the hook. I saw the hook protruding from her armored skin. I cut the tippet and pulled the hook out the hole that was already made. I did this so I would not have to contend with here 1,000 teeth! Enjoy the pictures folks! She swam away no blood no worse for wear!

Tubes for NY Fall of 2011!

2011-08-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Purple Pole Dancer

Sucker Punch

Yet More Intruder Variants!

2011-07-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Its Beaver Flipping Time In The Yukon!

2011-07-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

I dont know who he/she is but I would like to fish up there! Thank you for visiting!

Ok So I'm Compulsive "More Intruder Variants"!

2011-07-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

Almost 10,000 Page Views! Thanks to all who have looked and who keep looking!

2011-07-19T18:57:00.001-07:00

More Intruder Variants... Enjoy!

2011-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Here is my first Intruder....

2011-07-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone on the net you has posted a step by step of this pattern!

Just......

2011-07-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

....Practice, Practice, Practice!

Today I would return to the Great Miami River. I took my 6wt single hander and my new custom 6wt Switch Rod by feathercastrods.com. I have lined this rod with a Rio Skagit short of 375 grain. I’m getting the weight forward line dialed in. I used an 8wt Scientific Angler Master Series Steelhead Taper today. The grain weight of the line was almost enough to load the rod. I will have to get a 9wt Scientific Angler Master Series Steelhead Taper and try it on the rod next. I have a 10wt Scientific Angler Master Series Steelhead Taper but I fear it will be too much! Figures the one line I don’t own “use to own” I need one again! The day was hot and I drank so much water! I was out to just practice casting. I was able to cast out about 70’ with the rod and let’s be honest no small mouth I’m going to cast to is going to be out 70’. I tried several patterns and caught no fish but was able to maintain a good slow “sometimes” casting stroke. You need to slow down your casts just let it happen! I also wanted to chare something I have been doing to my tube flies. I have been adding glass beads on the mono behind the tube fly to make the hook ride farther behind the fly see attached photos enjoy!

Tom

We Miss you Buckeye!

2011-07-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

In two days it will be two years when Buckeye, Beanie, Buckers left us to beg for socks out of the great drawer in the sky. We miss you old friend. We miss your muddy paw prints. We miss you talking to us. We miss your sassyness! We miss you.

Love Tom, Carolyn, Jimmi, Jaxson, and Belle!

Just Good Ole Smallmouth Fishing!

2011-06-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well one of my good buddy’s said,” hey can you fish all day on Sunday?” I replied to him well yes! He said travel an hour toward West Virginia and I will pick you up and we will canoe a new stream for smallmouth! Sounds like a great idea it’s not supposed to rain until late afternoon. I knew where we were going and I have always wanted to fish that creek! I won’t name it due to the internet is like a bad dream from time to time! We started out on one of the braches before we got to the main stem of the creek. She was a beauty all large cobbles and slate here and there! There were more places for fish to hide than I have ever seen on a Southern Ohio creek. I was pleased to say the least. Fish where busting bait all day long, but the odd thing was the fish where not holding in summer areas! They seem to be in what I call limbo! Spawning sessions where done but the last few weeks have been really chilly at night! Since this creek has a huge watershed that could hold its temps this seem to make sense! This is the first creek I have ever been in where I saw probably 100 Sheephead in a 7.3 mile stretch of water. The river was littered with cobles, rocks, and pools from 1' deep to 8' deep. We took our single handers and mainly fished small poppers! The bait was thick in this creek. The flows were at 200 cf/s and she was on the low side! I did have one hookup on a Spotted bass that I landed. I had a few ferocious strikes by some older resident smallmouth Bass that made me miss them! My friend made fun of me because I missed ever hookset on those lil bronze tigers. I barely saw any trash along her creek banks that Sunday! It was a nice day just to be out! Take care all and be well!

During the Monsoon!

Skipjacks, Hogs, and Sows!

2011-06-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

Today I looked at the Ohio River forecast and she would be prime in my book! This would be for me the first time she has been fishable in 4 months! I loaded up some rods and my eggbeater and headed to the river! It would be hot today and I knew I would be off the river at 10 or so! I got to the river’s edge at 0630. I saw some trash in the parking lot and saw one item I will go over later that pertains to SOWS’! I think all bait shop containers should have a deposit on them so people would give a F more often and not leave them on the river bank! I saw two other anglers this morning and they already there! They were not standing on my favorite rock bar so yea for me. I headed down to the bar and I saw bait busting the surface not a lot of bait but enough to make me start salivating. I strung up the eggbeater first so I could find the fish. I would then follow with a double handed switch rod or my single hander. Well with a 1oz Kastmaster I would hook up about 6 times and never land a one! I put down the eggbeater and recast with my 6wt single hander and a 150 grain sinking line out in about 4-5 feet of water and connect with some feisty fish. I was hooking Skipjack Herring there are our little Ohio River Tarpon! They have the same mouth structure as there saltwater cousins! I saw a few construction workers who are working 7 days a week to meet there construction deadlines on the hydroelectric dam. They told me the earth work alone would be 2 years. I thought well for them at least the local boys will be busy. Well after hook a pile of fish I headed back to the truck! I return to the SOW comment! There in the parking lay a used female product on the ground! Now who in their right mind leaves it on the ground when there was a 55 gallon barrel trash can nearby! This and so much more makes me want to almost stop fishing so I don’t have to see this kind of stuff! I see the most bizarre shit when I fish! People wonder why we lose fishing access!

Have a nice day,

Tom

Spring in SW Ohio has not been nice to us!

2011-05-31T19:47:00.000-07:00

Mud every where!

Mud 20 feet into the trees straight up!

Nasty!

Look at the mud line in the trees!

I tried!

More mudline evidence!

Nice lil ditch

Todds Fork

New Rod - I will be reviewing it in a few months once I get it lined properly!

Sorry its been a while!

2011-05-08T06:43:00.000-07:00

I have been working with all the flooding Cities and municipalities from Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky! It’s not a pretty site for sure! When the water levels drop and stabilize the bite will be on. Take care folks and hang in there!
Cheers,
Tom

Never Take Friends for Granted!

2011-04-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 23^rd would the day before Easter. This would be the first day I have fished since my surgery! I was nervous and excited to see how my hands would do. I would be taking all the big sticks! This would be my Redington CPX 9wt 13’-9” spey rod on her virgin voyage! I would also bring along my 8wt switch rod by TFO. I had tips made of T-17, T-14 in lengths from 7 feet to 14 feet! The CPX she was strapped with a Galvan T-12 reel with 300 yards of gel spun backing in conjunction with a Rio Skagit Flight head of 650 grains attached to Rios’ Powerflex shooting line! I had more flys in my backpack for this trip than should have been illegal for me to carry! A great friend of many years agreed to go on this fishing adventure! Andrew my great friend we worked together for years back in the 90’s in an Engineering firm in Akron, Ohio. He picked me up at the end of my in-laws driveway at 0400! He drove like a champion into the asshole of storm. The winds off the hills were howling at 40 mph plus “great weather to throw a bug rod in I thought”. I picked up my one day license at Wally world and we pressed on! We arrived at our destination. The river looked grey/green. The flow was great and we would be sheltered from the winds for most of the morning until we went around the upstream point! The ice coming down the river was not an issue for us! I did save some one fro ma horrible accident from getting clipped by a 100 pound ice berg floating down the river! This cat never looked up stream at all to see what was going on around him! I yelled at him hey bud you better move! The iceberg would have hit him from behind at the knees. He would have been medically evacuated from the river for sure. So we proceeded to use spey rods, switch rods, and even O-yes eggbeaters! We used no bait, no bobbers just flies! I tried color combinations ranging from olive/black, purple/black, white, white/grey, and red! I had one half heated tug on the red of all things! I of course donated a few flies to the river bottom! The clarity of the river was anywhere from 18”-28”. The river we fished is so powerful! Saw some interesting signs along the river trail “Do not leave the trail you will be prosecuted” I guess they had some people get there asses hauled out of the river via boat or helicopter due to injury! I have been fishing this river for a long time, and you have to have your head screwed on tight and be very careful. It was nice to get out and cast the long rod! We covered all kinds of water from chutes, pocket water, pools, and eddys’ at varying depths and speed rates! No love was to be found this day. I did not mind coming up fishless, and my day was made just by the one tugger! Looks like more rain for the Great Lakes region. All the tributaries we saw wont fish for at least 1-2 weeks with this additional rain coming. Be safe folks and always look up stream, and just because you’re standing still does not mean nothing can’t happen to you! Now for the not so much a friend! I was getting the hell out of my wader stew suit when two people approached me and Andrew. The greating phrase to a stranger for the rest of us would be something like “hello my name is Douch-e-saurus (defined as a rude gentleman trolling for free information “my new word patent pending”) how are you? Did you fish the river today? You would not great me like “Hey I see you’re from Ohio, and I’m a centerpin Guide from Ohio. What’s up with this river?” I was a little floored to say the least, and I proceeded to tell him to get on the DEC website for information. I also warned him and his little buddy that this is not place to learn in the spring due to the varying flows, and tricky currents. I also told him this is not a typical Great Lakes Tributary! Not to mention the physical stamina you need to just get down to the river! So after putting the fear of God into him they bolted for smaller water! My hands did great all day and into the next day no noticeable pain at all! I had no swelling over night from all day casting the rods! I’m so elated that the surgery worked for me! Folks if you want to learn new water waste some gas during the summer and figure it
out! Well enjoy the pics!

Tom

Dont know why I leaned into it, and thank goodness I never said I knew what I was doing!

Batter Up!

The River

Class V Rapid

BFR

What?

The Gear!

They look nice but they are mean as hell!

Leaving Los Vegas!

Weather Be Dammed!

2011-04-19T18:23:00.000-07:00

I will be along the southern Lake Ontario shore line somewhere all darn day Saturday the 23rd! Lots of pictures to follow! Pictures of rocks, water or something fishy!

What in the Hell!

2011-04-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

This is a direct post from a fly fishing board on Ohio..lol.. wow is all I can say!

"i flyfish 99% of the time
i fish redds, I release most of my fish, but take some home sometimes, I dont judge, honestly how many hardcore flyguys started off with a fly rod???? most of us start like everyone else with a baby sized ugly stick and a zebco 33. I am a trad bowhunter, and it is a lot like fly fishing to me. Is it harder than using spin/centerpin gear, sure. But is it more fun, absolutely. I have a spinning rod and a compound bow, but neither of them come out very often. sorry about the rant just go fishing and enjoy it" Enjoy it is this guy for real?

Still not fishing, but neat to look at!

2011-04-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well it’s has been 5 weeks since my surgery! I think I’m healing up well. The only thing I can even talk about was a dive survey I was involved with on a lake. Sorry folks no fishing yet. I get my follow-up appointment on the 15th of this month. That appointment will tell me the tale if I can get out and fish. I hope you enjoy the pictures! My survey instrument was on a slope of a hill for the past two days! It rained on us, and snowed on us the entire time us where there “it was miserable”!
Take care,

Tom

Dive Team Boat prepping for deployment!

Diver Mikey Dressing out!

Go Mikey Go!

O shit the helmet is heavy!

Hard to believe this worked!

Horrible Setup!

The Wrong Mentality!

2011-03-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

This text was copied from an Ohio steelhead message board, and people wonder why I get pissed!

"Find actively spawing fish in a shallow area. Float eggs thru the deeper area below the visible fish. Money in the springtime - especially bits of skein with the membrane and a few eggs."

Some ramblings and a healing update!

2011-03-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to see all the rain that continues to plague Ohio! It will make it for a wet spring, and almost impossible for the gravel raker’s to spot fish well at least it will give them less opportunity. The water levels are down from last year and Mother Nature needs to refill the aquifers so let her rip! The healing is going well with my hand going on week four! I will be headed back to the doc on 4-15 and after that I will be swinging flies and working around the house again! I hope by then it will be warmer and the rough fish in the Ohio River will be ready to be impaled in the mouth with some hooks!

Cheers,

Tom

Healing up!

2011-03-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

I just got my stiches out after a week! So here we go 6 weeks of healing before I even think of casting a rod! My feeling it back in my left hand the surgery lasted about 20 minutes! Little to no pain at all I'm amazed! For the first time in years I can feel all my fingers! Stay patient folks for I need to heal!

Thank You,

Tom G.

Ohio Fishing Stream/River Guide Program

2011-02-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

Why do some great lakes states feel that they do not have to charge fees to be a fishing guide on the tributaries of the great lakes? The states that do not charge guides in or out of state fees for a guiding license are missing the boat. The Great Lakes fishery brings millions of dollars of commerce to the states and providences that they boarder. Starting a license program promotes several things in the fishery. First off the program would need to promote water safety. Guides need to have some type of accreditation that they have cold water survival skills. They need to be qualified in CPR and first aid. The guides would need to be bonded, and fully insured. The guide program would need to be different from the open water boat guides we see. Every guide who is on the outfitters payroll would need to be insured. This would minimize gill raking small time guides services due to the upfront fees! We need to double the prices for out of state guides. I watch my home state Ohio just miss the boat on making money from this fishery. Ohioans need to be more proactive. We have many great resources to help us see if we can get this made into reality. We are also faced with several other problems. How hard would it be to have a minimum slot limit on steelhead? I think we could get the law passed I don’t think that would be a problem. I think the problem would be getting it enforced. You’re not going to catch everyone and we know that, but you can make an effort.

Knowing when it's time to say "nope it’s not worth it"!

2011-02-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

A friend and I went to fish Clearfork Creek in Central Ohio on Saturday. We were going after Brown Trout. Armed to the teeth with more flys than most fly shops we headed out. The weather was windy about 15-22 mph winds and partially sunny. I picked up Steve at 0530 to begin our journey. We drove at the river side to see she was swollen! She was about 2 feet higher than I like her. She was moving fast and had about 12” of visibility and had lot of sand and silt in her water column. We swung streamers and then more streamers with no luck! I had my 5 weight switch with a 5’ section of T-11 on her. We picked up camp and moved farther downstream until we found a ok place to get into the water. We combed the upper stretches but found not safe place to enter the river! I fish this river a lot in years past and never had a problem until now! It was ok Mother Nature was getting her ready and filling her springs with much needed water for this year’s drought! We went into the park in the lower section. We looked at the river and it was prime a little high and nowhere near as high as the upper stretches. We walked up stream to the dam and she was barely wadable! I pointed out some seams for Steve to fish and with the howling wind he walked out to the rocks! All of a sudden I hear along with the wind that blowing up towards the dam a faint hey hey you! I thought who this ass clown is! I then realized he was waving us off from the dam! I noticed from about 500 yards away he was wearing all green “like a park ranger”! so he looked the part of being an official of the park. So this ass clown left. We watched the river go from a beautiful aqua blue green to brown and they opened the gates more on the dam! This is was a lesson always pays close attention to your surroundings! I fish around many dams many times and you have to pay attention or you could die! Well I also wanted to let everyone know I’m having Carpal Tunnel surgery on 2-25-11. I will be out of commission for 2-5 weeks! Yes it will suck, and I may miss the white bass, Whipers, and Striper run! Take care all and keep the faith I will return as soon as I can. I probably will get more tying done as I heal!

Gravel Rakers all need to stop, and you know what I mean!

2011-02-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

More Variants of the Whistler Leech - Minus the lil Deceiver!

2011-02-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

Fly Fishing Industry Editorial - By Joe Cornwall

2011-02-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.flyfishohio.com/Fly_Fishing_Industry_editorial.htm

A fly by Whistler Fly Fishing - and tweaked by me!

2011-02-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

These folks where nice enough to post this style leech on there website, and I thought I would share it with my warm water friends! http://whistlerflyfishing.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html The following flies were tyed by me with a few alterations! The front hook on these flies are cut off so there is only the trailer for swinging!

Genuine Teacher

2011-02-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

I attended the annual Buckeye United Fly Fishers show today. I like attending this show helping others find out more about the sport! I saw some old friends, and met some new ones! I often just watch people at these venues. I would find myself tying flies next to Michael Schmidt of Anglers Choice Flies ( www.anglerschoiceflies.com ). I watched him interact with people and today I saw what this sport is missing. I have not been around him in a setting like a fly fishing show before so this was a reel treat. I watched and listened to him teach people how to tye his masterful flies and actually help people become better fly tyers. He gave away a few flies today that would cost about 50 dollars. He gave them away so people could try to tye the fly themselves! People flocked to watch him tye his flies. Great speaker when he talked to the small group of people around his tying table. It was nice to watch this type of genuine humanism of tying flies. Keep up the great work Mike.

Tom

My play area!

Just me winding down from the day!

Spoonfed Post of the Day

2011-02-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

With the invention of this devil box alot of new anglers have become dependent of internet! I will once a week post on my blog the spoonfed question of the day. This is an actual post by a person who has an account with one of the fishing sites I go to see just how people are doing. I know it sounds hypocritical, but I do it for entertainment and not for fishing access or if the fish are biting!

"Does anyone know of a service that provides updated satallite map pics(at least updated daily)fee or free, just thought it would be a nice tool to check on river ice conditions.I have my home river dialed in just trying to save a trip/gas to the rivers out east."

I’m Haunted by My Old Home Waters

2011-01-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

I sat on the river bank today as the Southwest Ohio sun warmed my face. I watched the river dance by my feet and I enjoyed the light breeze going across my face as I watched my smoke trail head down stream. Today I would go to the Whitewater River and the Great Miami River here in southwest Ohio. The water levels where a little low but perfect the holes deeper than three feet had a nice green tint to them. I saw my first baitfish of the year and it made my heart skip in hopes there would be a fish feeding on the fry! This would be yet a little more casting practice, and to also find out if I actually had a leak in my waders! I had no leak just a little sweat surrounding my bunched up top of my socks! I’m really happy with me able to get more line out due to me figuring it out casting when the river is moving right to left. Back home in Northeast Ohio the rivers are mostly locked up tighter than a vestal virgin! I have been in Southwest Ohio now for 6 years and I find myself fishing less to ease the pain! There is simply too much sand, silt, and effluent. Enjoy the pics folks!

Quacker Smackers!

2011-01-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

One again good friends of mine headed to Arkansas for their annual Quacker Smacker outing! They hunt guided trips, and they bring me back great specimens! Take care all!

Cutting Into the Learning Curve

2011-01-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

My great grandfather a World War I Marine told me when I was young to be successful at anything takes practice. Well he was so right and today was time to practice some more! I strung up my Redington CPx 13’9” spey and coupled with my TFO 400-600 grain (8wt) Skagit set up. The full spey has a RIO Skagit Flight SHD 675 grain head with a 13’6” section of T14 (189 grains). The Switch rod had a Sa Supra Skagit 500 grains and with that a tip of 8ft of T11 (88 grains). I would get dressed and head to the river not to catch fish but to cast. I’m an average caster when it comes to the river going from left to right, but it’s a whole different story when the river is coming from right to left! I really saw this when I took my trip to Michigan late last year. I would grasp my full spey rod first and begin to figure out some things! The head on the Skagit Flight is 28 ft. I would try in reverse do a double spey but my brain could not grasp the reverse reality! I thought about it sat in the snow for a minute. I realized I had to get my anchor just in front of my downstream leg and with a good D-loop slightly over my shoulder get the desired cast! I will walk you through this. I would roll cast out my anchor and all of the Flight Head except for the last 4 ft. This at least for me would be my sweet spot with the current grain load on the rod. With both hands pointing downstream and my wrists in a cross I would have the first position. The next position would be to lift all the line out of the water keeping the rod at about a 10 degree angle in front of me but going up stream. I would keep rotating the rod across my body until all the head would clear the water minus the anchor. I would want the anchor to be perpendicular to my left leg. I would then keep the line off the water except for the anchor rotating my wrists back to position one, but once the anchor passes my left leg “and my shoulder and elbow” and getting a deep D-Loop I would then cast the rod. The slower I went with this casting stroke the more line I shot. I did this with the TFO also both rods casted splendidly. Spey caster beware you will hook yourself easily if you are not careful due to the body position vs. the anchor! Good luck and I’m sure I have confused someone!

TFO - Switch Rod Review "more information"

2011-01-08T14:34:00.001-08:00

As previously posted I have a Temple Fork Outfitter (TFO) switch rods. I have one 5wt, and the 8wt. I have had these in many places in the short amount of time I have had them. These rods are med-slow rods and med-slow action rods are not for everyone. I like the action of the rods. I like the way the rod loads deeply if I have a heavier grain weighted tip on! The TFO 5wt really makes you slow down even more to generate the correct amount of energy for the rod to cast well. I have used T-8 in sections of 5’ through 10’, and T-14 in 3’ sections through 8’. With the Skagit Spey Short by Rio in a 375 grain line the reel the Orvis Mid Arbor goes well with the rod. I have noticed with some advice from friends I have taken about 2’ length of 15# test mono and attach my tippet to that in a length of 3’-4’. With this mono set up I still get great turnover of my flies! Due to the rod only having a grain window of 250-450 you need to pay close attention to just how much grain you put on this rod! I fish a lot of heavy cover and fish what I call heavy water “not nuclear” and these fish hang out in some fast deep cuts. When you hook a fish in current like that you have to put pressure on them. I have never been in fear of breaking the rod, but remember it’s only a 5wt!

The Maddening River

2011-01-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Waking up in the morning I knew she would be on the rise but she would still be fishable! I walked the perimeter of the farmers’ corn field to get to the river bank. Putting my head lamp on I began to string up my rods! I would be fishing my TFO single-hander and my 5wt Switch Rod. I would be strippin and rippin streamer patterns preying on Brown trout and there ambush personality. I fished all the wood I could find! Through-out the morning there was alto od debris coming down stream! There were lots of leaves, sticks and algae. I knew I was really in bad shape! I stayed on one side of the river in fear of her pumping harder while I was fishing. I would fish several olive leech/sculpin patterns. I used on my Switch rod a 4 foot section of T14 and a mono section of 2 foot of 12# and a 2 foot section of 8# test floro! I swung for the fences but ended up just enjoying nature, and getting my casting stroke down! I have always noticed when there is a lot of debris in the water column my catching rate per hour goes to ZERO! Well Happy New Year to all! Enjoy the pics!

Why, to make you think of course!

2010-12-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

Why do we worry about how we are dressed? Why are we worried about not having the latest gear? Why are we worried about catching fish? Why are we worried about another fisherman beating us to the river? Why are we worried about dragging our gear through the mud? Why are we worried about cigar ash burns on our clothes? Why are we worried about people who trespass? Why are we worried about waters we will never fish? Why are we worried about fly’s we have not yet tied? Why are we worried about leased fishing access? Why are we worried about fishing guides? Why are we worried about fly fisherman whom rakes gravel? Why are we worried about being politically correct? Why are we worried about the wind knots in our leaders? Why are we worried about how secure that knot you just tied? Why are we worried about just how much floatant we just applied to that dry fly? When did ordering coffee become a big pain in the ass for some? Why do we recheck to make sure we lock the truck before we head to the river? Why do we adorn ourselves with all the fishing gadgets known to man? Why do we bring our cell phones to the river? Why do we think of past people and pets we have lost during our life time out on the river? Why do we always say “one more cast”? Why do we not change flies more often? Why do people use bobbers on spey rods? Why do we care?

Pontoon Rod Holding Tubes - How to Make Them

2010-12-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

Hello folks once again my friends and I have come up with a great little idea. I have some friends who own pontoon boats and love to fish river and streams. We also like to take multiple rods with us. When tooning these rivers I noticed really fast I spend a lot of time worrying about where my rods were. I did not want to lose one or break one. So after my first float trip I thought about placing the fly rods in tubes. I talked with my good friend Mark Lowden who went on the Michigan trip this year and we came up with the conceptual idea a long time ago. At the time I lived in an apartment and did not have the tools to create these rod tube holders. I described the idea to him and he proceeded to make the first versions. That was about five years ago. Years later I would realize I would need to yet again make my rods tubes for I had no idea where the first versions went too I had my good friend Jim Stuard agree to help me out and make the tubes for me. He is a master craftsman and has more hand working tools at his disposal than a Sears Hardware store! I purchased schedule 40 pvc in 10 feet sticks. There is no reason to use schedule 80 it’s too heavy! The following pictures outline the construction of the rod holding tubes. Keep in mind that you are putting a assembled rod into the tube indexed by the slots cut. This will have to tendency to force the stripping guide against the tube as well forcing the back handle to lever up at the end. For rods with fighting butts or elongated handles on two handers, you'll need to make adjustments after the initial cuts. Remember, this is just a guide, not a 'by the numbers' how-to.The photos are by Jim Stuard from Fly Fish Ohio http://www.flyfishohio.com/ Thanks to my friends who helped me when I needed it, thanks guys!

The list of tools and materials is as follows:

Materials:
1 length of pvc pipe either 1 1/2" diameter for regular sized fly rods or 2" for spey/switch sized rods.
1 cap per tube being built.
1 roll of velcro tape sections. The kind with a wrapping hole on one end of each piece.

Tools:
Tape Measure or ruler
Sharpie marker
Jigsaw. Preferrably with adjustable speeds
Pliers for trimming the saw blade
Selection of rasps, files and flat bladed screwdrivers for finish scraping.
Hacksaw
Drill and bits sized to line slot (see captions for more on line slot widths)

Begin by placing your rod in the way you want to carry it, next to the PVC tubing. In this case, we have a 4pc. spey outfit with a flared butt on the handle that will have to be accommodated.

Next, mark the end of the scabbard with a sharpie. Allow about an inch of extra space for the scabbard to fully protect the rod handle.

Mark the end of the smaller slot where the fly line will protrude. This is a nominal measurement but a good guide is about half to a third of the way from the reel to the stripping guide.

Mark where the line slot ends and widens out to accommodate the handle and reel. Mark between the reel seat and reel body, as shown.

Once you're satisfied with your layout measurements, begin by cutting the tube to length. I used a hacksaw but any fine toothed saw capable of cutting a material as soft as PVC is fine. You're going for a square cut here but honestly, it doesn't matter.

Begin the layout for the double-slot system by placing a centerline up the pipe to the farthest mark for the small slot. This will give you a better idea of how far to each side you want to make your layout lines for the slots. The easiest way to do this is to lay your knuckles to the side of the pipe and just sweep the line forward, away from you. An old Architects trick for drawing a perfectly straight line is to simply draw two points and then while watching only the finish point, start drawing. Works nearly every time and with practice, you can do it with great accuracy.

With a ruler, mark a line to either side of the centerline that will give you about a 1 1/4" wide slot for the handle/reel. This is for a spey outfit so smaller fly rods will require a smaller slot. In the past, I've found that anywhere from 7/8" to 1" works. Same for the line slot. For the heavy spey line, I went wider, starting around 3/8" but 1/4" will handle most regular fly lines.

Connect the two slots by arbitrarily forming a gentle 'S' curve between them.

Begin the cutting process by cutting a relief hole at the end of the small slot. Keep in mind that the entire slot will compress down towards the end of the tube because of a tension release in the PVC. You'll have to account for that with subsequent trimming but that's why they call it 'fine tuning'.

Here's the completely laid out series of slots.

If your saw has a speed control, slow it way down. You'll actually melt the PVC if it gets too hot. It won't do any harm but, trust me, you'd much rather cut a solid material, than gravy. Run the saw with the guides indexed on the tube. Be careful of the tube collapsing and grabbing the blad. What most likely will happen is it will bounce you out of the channel with great force but it's not very dangerous. Take it slow and steady.

The next three photos cover finishing the cut edges on the inside of the slots. The PVC is soft so files, edges of file handles, four-way rasps and screwdrivers all work to scrape down the sharp edges. You don't want to go damaging your fly line before you ever get it wet!

The fastening strap slot is around 1/8" by just a little wider than the velcro tape you're using. I just used a 1/8" drill bit and drilled a series of holes along the marked slot. By gently running the drill and moving it back and forth, you can actually cut sideways with the bit. Be careful, as a bit this small is easy to snap. Once again, slow and steady. Once you get the slot cut, slowly run the bit back and forth to smooth it out.

Mother Natures Stinkeye!

2010-12-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

The day after my loving wife’s birthday seemed like a good day for me to go fishing! I awoke today and looked at the weather report 3-5” of snow winds 15-20 mph and good old mother nature was giving me the stink eye! Well I thought you not going to win today lil lady! I headed out to a warm water discharge on the Ohio River today. I got there about 1030am and saw no other cars in the lot, and thought to myself this is either a bad thing or a good thing! Well it was a bad thing. I was fishing for any fat girls, and their boyfriends that may be around ie White Bass, Whipers, or Stripped Bass. The river still had 4” of visibility and too much sand and silt in the water column. The warm water coming out of the creek from the power plant was not really that warm either “this was the biggest problem why there was very little bait and very little fish around”! I was also faced with a new deposit of about 12” of mud death! What I mean since here in the Old Dirty “the Ohio River” she has huge siltation problems for various reasons, and I could only get to one side of the creek to fish her! The side we all fish is the deposit side of the river for all silt and sand. Not a great time was had for the two hours I attempted to fish her. I would then pick up camp and head to Meldhal Dam down river on the Ohio. They are putting in a hydroelectric dam there so I headed there with no mind to fish her just to see it! Enjoy the pics gents and be well! Notice the progression of the weather going from sugar “not really” to sh!t!

Orrahh Marine Brothers!

2010-11-20T06:43:00.001-08:00

http://www.lifeasamarine.com/?WT.mc_id=SM_FB_11192010

To all of our Veterans past and present-Semper Fi

2010-11-11T14:05:00.000-08:00

Having Veterans day off, and being a Veteran it makes me think and makes me reflect on the people I miss! So I headed to Markland Dam to settle a score! The last time I went there I caught nothing! So with the same expectations I headed there yet again! The morning was awesome as far as weather conditions goes! The air was cold the fog on the river was thick! The skip jacks where busting bait all day! There was so much bait in the river it looked like pieces of carpet! The bait was everywhere! The fish are eating well!! I saw two Whipers landed not by me! I hooked I think one nice skipjack but by the time I got my drag set it was gone! Well the score is still even for me and Markland Dam. That current is so bizarre, and there is a eddy in that rive that’s about 100 yards long! Enjoy the pics! I did get to see two Eagles who fished and they hooked up and took off for their nest down river “that was amazing”.

O I forgot "The Storm of the Century"

2010-11-04T18:49:00.000-07:00

...thanks mother nature we still survived and caught fish!

Dark yes no power! Photo by Mark L.

Photo by Mark L.

The Big Man Big Suprize!

2010-11-04T18:32:00.000-07:00

Not very many things now a day surprises me! I was surprised on Saturday the 30th of October! I floated the Big Man solo, and heard all the warnings about the wood she had along her river and submerged me were ready for her! I began below Tippy for several reasons all I wanted was trout, and possibly one hook up with a predatory Brown trout or Steelhead! Saw so many Chinnies down from the dam. Lots of gravel I egged behind got one swipe from a trout, but nothing the rest of the day! I said ok POS if that’s the way you want to play I will just swinging my spey rod all day and lessen my chances! lol... I strapped on a tip of T-14 14 feet long onto the already 675 grain head on my rod and went hunting in every submerged log jam I thought could hold a fish! I did realize over and over I should have worn my PFD instead of just bungee cording it to the bottom of the boat! There are some massively deep holes on her! I did get to see three soaring eagles! I also got to meet a few anglers in boats, and one moron! The only was he was a moron was due to his lack of ability to figure out what was to shallow for him to have his boat it! I wish he would of grenade his motor and had to paddle back to the launch! That would have been priceless! I mainly fished sculpin patterns. Big olive and articulated flies are what I threw. I learned that I will be tying circle hook as my trailer hook next time! I was fishing a deep hole that had moderate speed and on undercut bank on the far side! Standing up stream and doing the ole Cali Shuffle I proceeded to work the run! Over and over I casted with no hook ups! There was an overhang tree at the end of the run. Just short of losing fly I swung under the canopy of the tree! With my fly line being at almost 1800 I felt one good grab! This grab would be followed by thee old under the water mouth was routine! I felt like a good size fish either a Brownie or a steelie! I turned the rod to the side reeling all my line that could get taken up by my Galvan reel! I just took up the remainder of my line and it came unbuttoned suprize! I hmm imagine that and thought if that would have been a circle hook I probably would be getting a pic of that fish! Lessoned learned with a few patterns that will need changed! I just Floated the remainders of river rowing until I got to the High Bridge take out! This river except for the first 1 mile of river below Tippy is great for a pontoon boat! After that most of the river is made for fishing out of a boat! With all the wood is in that dam river you best be careful! Enjoy the pics gents!

Tom

I will be putting a tutorial how to make the toon tubes for the rods!

The Middle of the hole where I hooked up!

Wood Wood did someone say wood!

Some Observations and Self Examination of my Inner Monologue!

2010-11-01T19:39:00.000-07:00

I have noticed since I picked up my first switch rod it has led to other rod purchases that has led me to want to go without catching a fish. Let me explain I live in Cincinnati Ohio and our fishing pretty much is done with the first heavy frost! Now you can leave Cincinnati and go fishing elsewhere, but the fishing only gets good if you drive 3-5 hours away! I have been learning how to spey cast with my spey rod, and how to cast my switch rods! I have tied more flies than I will use in a year! All this is for is just in case I may get out and fish for Mykiss, Stripers, and Whipers! Bronze will have to wait and I don’t fish for smallmouth during their wintering over phase! So back to my point my beautiful wife Carolyn who lets me do what I want whenever I want lets me fish almost anytime. I find myself being really picky about where I go fishing due to the fact I want to swing flies. I find more pleasure in getting a fish to rise to take a fly I’m swinging! To swing a fly for me is a new beginning! I have made custom Skagit tips of T-8, T-11, T-14, and T-17! I fish all kinds of water and fish the water column thoroughly! I just chose to fish not when I can but when I want to! I just spent 8 days swinging flies in Michigan and hoping that I could get a fish to rise! It may seem weird to some, but for others you will get it! Enjoy the pictures folks!

Cheers,

Tom

Nice to come back to the cabin too!

Solo on the Big Manistee

My only hook-up was on the Big Man in this deep hole filled with wood!

Bald Eagle

Three Bald Eagles flying around me on the Big Man!

The Big Man

Tippy Dam with barely a soul!

Mark Lowden Picture - Send it!

Mark Lowden Picture

Spey setup!

Marks first King on light spining tackle priceless!

My lil Jack!

Mishing Fichigan Part 2

2010-10-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

Mark and I would head out to fish Michigan from October 23-30. We braved the Storm of the Century, and caught fish during this adverse time! This will be to give a detail account of each day. We arrived at Ivan’s Camp Ground in Baldwin, Michigan on Saturday October 23. Ivan’s Camp Ground can be found here http://www.ivanscanoe.com. We would go scout the access for floating the Muskegon (Mo). The stretch we would float would be from the Croton Dam access and float down to the High rollaway access. These access points can be found on the web on http://www.hesslakerentals.com/Muskegon_River_Public_Launc.html this web site is very informative, and will set you straight on where to put in and take out. Mark and I would both catch numerous Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout. The fish would range from 10”-16” and we would be forced do egging to catch these fish! I don’t like egging, but that would be the difference today and I was going to try to not get another old goose egg! There is more to life than just catching fish, but sometimes you need to rewrite history! The adventure of taking our pontoons down the MO for the first time without an incident was my main priority. The Flow of the MO was 1170 cf/s (cubic feet a second). This would be good for my standards for the flow, and for anyone fishing this body of water you would need to come up with your own comfort level before using any cf/s. I used my eggbeater “spin rod” and caught trout. I swung flies with the spey rod half of the day having no takers, one grab, and no tugs! I used a Redington CPX 13’-9” Spey rod in search of MYkiss! I used tips ranging from 10’ tip of T-11 to a 13’ tip of T-14. I never lost a fly doing this on the MO that day! The grab came unbuttoned as soon as I knew he/she was hooked! I should have been circle hooks! The river through this section is mainly a free stone stream in my opinion. We saw so many green kings it was scary for this time of year. As we talked with so many anglers during the week the anglers would comment on how late the runs where. I thought great wonderful nothing like having the deck stacked against you! More of a challenge that way I thought! Give it your shot Michigan I thought to myself! This float calculated by me and my Garmin GPS Map Source software was 5.7 miles, and I uploaded my GPS unit my trusty https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=310. Mother Nature blew most of her load with the fall colors by the time we arrived. The MO’s gradient here was steep, and people must use caution when wading her! This makes wading very tricky in some spots! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Croton Launch Photo by Mark Lowden

Croton Dam

Poopin Mink!

Mark

Awesome Engineering!

Photo by Mark Lowden

Mishing Fichigan Part 1 the Pere Marquette

2010-10-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mark and I would head out to fish Michigan from October 23-30. We braved the Storm of the Century, and caught fish during this adverse time! This will be to give a detail account of each day. We arrived at Ivan’s Camp Ground in Baldwin, Michigan on Saturday October 23. Ivan’s Camp Ground can be found here http://www.ivanscanoe.com. We would go scout the access for floating the Pere Marquette (PM). Our primary target was trout this whole entire trip although I had Mykiss visions later in the week possibly! The stretch we would float would be from the Sulak access and float down to the Upper Branch Bridge access. These access points can be found on the web on www.getoffthecouch.info/fishing.htm this web site is very informative, and will set you straight on where to put in and take out. My buddy Mark caught all the fish on this creek this day! He would nymph behind all the kings and come up with some PM Gold! He landed only browns in the 9”-13” range. I don’t like egging, and that would be why I went for a big old goose egg! There is more to life than just catching fish. The adventure of taking our pontoons down the PM for the first time without an incident was my main priority. The Flow of the PM was 500 cf/s (cubic feet a second). This would be still swift for my standards for the flow, and for anyone fishing this body of water you would need to come up with your own comfort level before using any cf/s. I swung flies all day having no takers, no grabs, and no tugs! I used a 5wt Deer Creek 11’ Switch rod on this small body of water, and I know the rod was too long. I used a 4 foot tip and switched from T11 and T14. I never lost a fly doing this on the PM that day! I made myself swing all day with my little 5wt more challenging that way! I did attempt to use a dry fly on my friend Jim 4wt he was nice enough to loan me, but that lasted about as fast as I got it strung up! The river at this location is about 40% gravel with some great holes, and chutes for holding trout! We saw so many green kings it was scary for this time of year. As we talked with so many anglers during the week the anglers would comment on how late the runs where. I thought great wonderful nothing like having the deck stacked against you! More of a challenge that way I thought! Give it your shot Michigan I thought to myself! This float calculated by me and my Garmin GPS Map Source software was 2.0 miles, and I uploaded my GPS unit my trusty https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=310. Some of the cabins we saw along the river were so in the middle of know where! Mother Nature blew most of her load with the fall colors by the time we arrived. I am always amazed at the amount of submerged wood in the PM. This makes wading very tricky in some spots! At the close of the day we went back to the Cabin to drown my sorrows in a bottle of Bookers Bourbon 125 proof 750ml! This would be my first time trying Bookers and I like it a lot. The initial softness of the bourbon was nice! I normally drink Jefferson’s bourbon. So this bottle of Bookers was for a special occasion. I will be purchasing another bottle after I have to replace my Jefferson’s. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Sulak Boat Launch

Ready To Roll Captain

We often fish water like this and say "why are there no fish in here this is were I would be if I was a fish"!

Walking upstream in search of!

Breaking for lunch!

Tying Knots!

Vacation in 4 days!

2010-10-18T03:13:00.001-07:00

Good morning folks! I will be headed to Michigan in 4 days to swing flies, and spin some lies for 7 days! I will be floating the PM, Big Man, and the Muskegon Rivers. I will be going with another good friend of mine I have not fished with since we went to Maine in 2005. It will be good to see Mark. There will be plenty of pictures of something..lol I just hope possibly they are of a couple of fish!

Cheers,

Tom

Hackle Fresh from field "well last year"

2010-09-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

Gadwall

Off a Rump of a Wood Duck

Feathers off of a Wood Ducks Rump

Northern American Shoveler

It really pays off to become friends with people who hunt! I have been blessed to have a few friends that brought me back a few birds last year and here are some of the hackles! The colorations are to die for, and obviously a fly shop would kill to have such quality! Now if I could only tye well to give these hackles the spotlight they deserve!

Thank you!

2010-09-03T16:06:00.001-07:00

Hello folks and I want to thank you! I want to say I appreciate all the visitors I have had up to this point! You come from all corners of the Globe! I have been tying flies for my upcoming trip to Central PA for a week! I will have pictures of the patterns up on my blog in a few days! I will take my 11’ 5wt switch rod and along with two other single hander rods! I have come up with a great little idea! Instead of adding a loop to hang the hook onto use beads to extend the hook further behind the pattern! Make sense to me I will also post pics of these later this weekend! Take care guys and there has to be some gals in their too!

Tom G.

DAWWGIE DAYS OF SUMMER

2010-08-14T15:21:00.001-07:00

I hate this weather stay tuned for something! the casting is going really well with the 13'9" CPX 9wt!

More Mercury are you serious?

2010-08-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

From Joe Cornwall @ http://www.flyfishohio.com/

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) governs water quality standards on the Ohio River. They are trying to adopt a standard that will permit coal fired power plants to discharge more mercury and other toxins directly into the waters on the Ohio River. Mercury is particularly toxic to women of child bearing age, the fetus and children. There is already a fish consumption advisory for mercury and other toxins in 800 miles of the Ohio river... Even if you don't live in the Ohio River Basin your comments are

extremely important. Tell them "No Increased Mercury Levels! Send comments to Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commisson

Hello from home finally!

2010-07-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well it’s been awhile, but it’s been a busy non fishing related two months! I got back from Clarksville, Tennessee almost a month ago. I would come home for Fourth of July, my loving wife’s 15th wedding anniversary, and the anniversary when we lost our boy Buckers! I would get out last weekend for some good fishing at least from a conditions stand point! The waters flow was great, and the color of the creek was stained with a green tint with about 26” of visibility! I threw my 5wt switch rod by TFO all day. I ranged in patterns from streamers, clousers, and tube flies! Their would be no joy, but it was great to be out! I hope you enjoy the pics folks!

Cheers, I hope summer ends soon!

Tom G

Buckeye

2010-07-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well ole friend it has been a year, and we miss and love you more! Hard to believe you have been away from us for a year. I hope you have plenty of hedgehogs to desqueek, and lots of socks to chew!

Love Tom, Carolyn, Jimmy Choo, Jaxson, and Bella.

Currentg Life Update!

2010-06-12T20:04:00.001-07:00

Hello Folks sorry this is not fishing related but just and update! I’m in Clarksville, Tennessee working on the waste water treatment plant they lost in the flood. I will be down here off and on for the next several weeks. I will be missing some great fishing for sure. I will not be doing any fishing until the fall. The new house is being manned by my wife. It is a tall order for my wife to take care of the house by herself. Carolyn I love you, and miss you and the dogs something fierce!

Love Tom

In a Mile Out a Mile!

2010-05-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

The Walk In!

The Skunk is Removed

Peaceful Redemption

That was the motto today! We arrived stream side after walking the mile above the lake looking for Mr. and Mrs. Fatty! We would begin to fish in the 40 degree air, and find to our delight no one in sight! We had the first riffle of the upper river to our selves! We used simple patterns clousers black over white, olive over white, and pearl estaz under a white rabbit strip that had a red throat! They only wanted the olive! We would go nibbless in the first hole! I thought to myself this is odd “par for the coarse my last two fishy outings”! I fished my 5wt TFO 11’ switch-rod today armed with a steelhead salmon taper by Scientific Angler. I would over cast it for most of the day, and also would double haul it from time to time “not pretty but it worked”! We would find several White Bass in the normal haunts. If there was any type of cover be it from trees or just heavy water they were eager to take some flies! I saw one very happy carp today and he/she would not stop jumping! Today was my last fishing day until we close on the house! Our final walk through is this Tuesday, and we close hopefully on the 21st of this month! Take care all, and I will be back in full force in a couple of weeks. I also found a new fishing friend Steve, and he looks like he is ready to fish anywhere! Take care all and enjoy the pics!

Long Way To Go!

2010-05-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

We all have had days where we want to do something really bad! Well today was my day. It has rained here for two days, and I just got my Spey rod my Redington CPX 9wt strung up with my Galvan reel armed with a 675 grain head! I wanted to cast this last weekend but got rained out. Herein Southern Ohio the White Bass and the Whipers with the Stripers are starting to make their annual pilgrimage up stream! I did wake up at 0400 this morning to see how the weather was and my common sense got a hold of me and told me to back to bed! I went back to bed and heard the thunder roll on by and fell fast back to sleep! I awoke at 0930 and threw my fishing stuff in the truck and headed off anyhow driving through the rain. I would get to the river’s edge, and find her to be totally fishable. She was running faster than normal and obviously on the rise! Dressed for the moment I walked down to the river! Most of the banks were water covered a big sign of watch your ass because Mother Nature’s a little pissed! So I marked some rocks with my eyes to indicate how fast the water was coming up and to tell me when to haul out of there! I’m a better caster when the water is going from left to right not right to left! I still managed a ok cast for a boot of the spey! I have a lot of work to do! The 13’9” stick is a cannon for sure! I need to make heavier tips, and I see this will be a big water stick only!!!I was swinging just a random shad pattern with 12’ of T14! Not much more to say enjoy the pics (sorry for the poor picture quality)!

Spey Rods Maiden Voyage This Weekend Stay Tuned!

2010-04-29T02:54:00.001-07:00

..............

Go west to finally come back east!

2010-04-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

I spent last week in Lone Pine, Ca working on a dust mitigation job at Owens Lake! I did get out today to swing some flies for early Whipers and Stripers. I had no luck but managed some good casting time! Enjoy the pics from out west!

To sunny, but a nice day!

2010-04-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

Well the Sunday before Easter and I headed to the river! Armed to the teeth with my 8wt/5wt switch rods by TFO. The was flowing great with about 24” of visibility! I would pound this small section from sun up to approximately 10ish! I used tips from T8 to T14 raging from 2 feet long to 10 feet long! I would have no takers. I was happy to see all the people who passed me on the river went up stream to fish the gravel as fast as they could go! I really don’t get you idiots! So after that I packed up to hit a stream farther to the east! She was low and slow and I could tell the sucker run was in full force! The air temps where hovering around 80 degrees all day! I did get smacked in the face a lot by some huge black stone flies about 10-12 in size! It was nice to see yet still all the fresh water muscles that grow in the river! I went to a huge hold probably the second biggest hole she’s got and and no joy! I would finish on the Chagrin and I saw so much down timber in the river I decided to donate about 4 tube flies to it to decorate it for Christmas! Well all take care enjoy the pics and the video!

Tom

I'm sick and it sucks!

2010-04-06T15:11:00.001-07:00

...sorry folks bare with me I will get to this by no later than Friday! Hmm hopefully I'll be swining flies for stripers on the Ohio on Saturday!

Gravel Rakers!

2010-04-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

If you need to make money that bad well I guess. In this regard I’m glad we don’t have a wild fishery due to people would not know how to treat it! I don’t see the lure to force-feed a steelhead a fly or jig or what ever feathered hooked apparatus! I saw a few paired up fish, and saw some large old boots in the river! I will have a full report with pictures later today some time. Happy Easter to all except for the gravel rakers!

New Waters!

2010-03-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

I got out to the water’s edge today! I was above a well known lake around me looking at the head waters. I wanted to find the first riffle up from the lake that will hold fish. I found it, and I want to return in a few weeks! I will defiantly be swinging flies to some fish here soon!

So Sorry, but I have neglected this blog for awhile!

2010-03-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of building a house. During this time my nephew took a jop here in Cincinnati. I gave him my man-cave. So this has really cut down my winter early spring fishing. The next time I go fishing will be back in northeast Ohio over Easter weekend. I have tyed up some first time articulated flies, and I will get them up on the blog soon. Spring has begun in southwest Ohio, and soon the Whipers/Stripers/Whitebass will be running in the Ohio River tributaries. I have tied up some river patterns and I will put them up here also soon. So stand by ole' friends and we will get back on track! I purchased my new spey rod the CPX 13'9" 9wt! From all the things I have read it will be stought enough to throw wet poodles! I'm going to be strapping a Galvan T12 Torque on it. As you can tell I got the webpage to run faster!

Take care folks, and be well.

Tom

PS I hope all the gravel rakers on the planet get what they deserve!!

Random Thoughts Pro’s Versus Joe’s!

2010-02-21T17:56:00.001-08:00

I’m sure some of us can remember the nights when we used to soak the lawn down with a garden hose to catch night crawlers as a kid to go fishing the next day. I know I can remember riding my bike to the local pond or stream to fish for the day in the summer. I know that most of us remember a lot less trash on the water’s edge as a young lad. I find myself older and a little wiser now. I have seen friends come and go, and sell their soul to the fishery pimps of the industry. When I got out of the Marine Corps in nineteen ninety two I had a lot of time on my hands. I drank like a sailor, and slept most of my life away as a young lad just out of the service. I had to find a hobby. I had to find something I would enjoy. I thought to myself take up fishing again. I worked with a few guys back then that fly fished. I though now there is a hobby I could learn to like. So after talking to Chris my co-worker for a few weeks I decided to give it a try. I went to my local my fly shop, and yes it is an Orvis fly shop. I met a gentleman named Frank, and he would point me in a good direction to get started. I purchased a starter rod, reel, fly line, and backing from him. It was a little click and pawl reel, and for me it might just have been the first thing of beauty to me. I got the panfish bug fast and later followed by the dreaded steelhead bug! I’m from Northeast Ohio and could not have been more strategically placed for my base of operations. I enjoyed fishing for panfish, but a good friend of mine Phil is who I’m going to blame for my demise with steelhead. I met several other friends who enjoyed chasing Great Lakes Steelhead. Some of us traveled for several hours on several occasions to several states for these magnificent fish. I watched one of my former good friends turn into a slave of the industry. I watched him turn his back on me, and I then turned my back on him. Deep down inside I felt jealous, because now my once best fishing buddy was a guide. He had no time for our friendship that was their along time prior to this steelhead/salmon guiding thing. I then started to really pay attention to detail on what guides where doing what on the Great Lakes Region. I saw this guide we will call him the one who writes his nick name on his fly fishing vest. He allegedly brought a disease to Ohio and his name is Donny Beaver. I know the property owner that he leases access from. I got to get back on track with my points. Why do some professionals or guides not get held to higher standards than the average Joe? Why do they not hold themselves at higher standards? Here in Ohio unlike MI, PA, and NY they have a guiding program. Due to the fact that we all know that money makes the world go around. Why does Ohio not have a fishing guide program? Fly fishing as a whole is missing the boat with the average Joe in the USA. Most of us do not know what a Hardy, Powell, and Thomas and Thomas rod or reel looks like. So much of this Great Lakes tributary fishing is a wreck. We have no enforcement, and the pros know it. Not all the pros out there are bad, but we only see the bad clowns! When I began this journey I thought about giving back to the sport. I will keep giving back to the sport of fly fishing as much as I can. I’m trying diligently to see about a wading law in Ohio, and I have seen firsthand what a chore this is going to be.

No Fishing Related Stuff!

2010-02-15T04:34:00.000-08:00

...well we are building a house, and holy cow its eating up my time! My nephew has moved in with us untill he gets on his feet with his new job "he is living in my man cave"! Untill he moves out we will be at a stand still with tying, but fishing should begin restart for me in about a month! Stand by, and everyone have a nice day!

Slow Loading Page!

2010-02-06T18:52:00.001-08:00

sorry folks for the slow loading page! I will look into it and I deleted the widget thought it was that and nope! Bear with me! Thanks!

Tom

Looking to buy our first home !

2010-01-23T21:14:00.001-08:00

Now it turns out we are going to build our first home ...lol.. what I'm I thinking..lol.. So sorry I have had nothing to post on here, but I should have some shots after the Fly Show in February!

Tom G.

Joe Montello Fixing up my Photo!

2009-12-31T17:52:00.001-08:00

Great Job Joe!

Brown Trout On The Swing!

2009-12-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

So many things contributed for me to go fish the Mad River today! We got a lot of rain over the past week! Ohio got so much rain that almost every fishable piece of water was unfishable in a 3-4 day span of time. I took my tube flies and my friend and we went to fish the maddening river! No bobbers where used by me today "shocker", and no lead was used by me either! This river has driven me to drink. This river as far as technical fly fishing goes in Ohio this is number one! We would hook up with about 20 browns the largest being hooked by me would spit the hook due to me smoking a cigar with my wrong hand! This would pose a costly mistake. He or she would have been at least 20” plus brown trout. O well this is why I love to swing flies with a switch rod such a new challenge. I would break out the 5wt Deer Creek switch rod by TFO. This time my switch rod would be loaded with 350 grain Skagit and a 6.6’ of T-8. The flows where med-high high flows! These conditions would turn out to be perfect for fishing sculpin style tubes in olive! The air temp was in the mid to upper 30’s and the water temp was about the same! Well folks take care and enjoy the pics! Fishing is not over with yet! Thanks Lou you have made me fall back in love with her yet once again!

Happy Holidays to all!

2009-12-23T19:30:00.001-08:00

I have been really busy at work! I also managed to reinjure my hand so slow recovery, but I will get back at it soon!

Tom G.

Wrong Weather Report, Great Company, Fishless, Great Water Conditions

2009-11-28T08:41:00.001-08:00

Well I hope everyone who has read my blog to date had a good Thanksgiving holiday. We are driving back from a fishless adventure. I'am fine with being fishless due to the fact there are more important things going on while you're fishing than just catching fish. Take for instance fishing with friends and catching up with you and reconnecting with there lives and the good the bad and of course the ugly. We arrived in New York on Friday at 0530 and suited up. We would arrive on the spit of sand awaiting daylight and mind you this was on Friday. Walking downstream we saw several head lamps turn like a warning to a plane where not to land. I laughed with my buddy Andrew that they see us walking down and afraid we would crowd them. I'am not that type of guy who gets close enough to smell your wader stew! I would begin to fish tubes all day and swing flies. I would be fishing my Deer Creek 8wt Switch rod loaded with the SA Compact Skagit 550 grain. The tip of choice would be a 6ft section of T14. The flows of this Lake Ontario tributary was awesome moderate to high flow depending on what part of the river you where standing in. No fish would be hooked in this first section of the river. We would press on farther up stream to a much more popular fishing hole to find only two people standing there. We crossed the river only having to recross the river due to the flows to actually get safely to the other side of the hole. I would yet again have ample room to swing more flies. I was using colors such as chartreuse over yellow, chartreuse over orange, yellow over orange, and grey over white with a mallard flank collar. All tubes would be tyed on plastic tubes except for the grey over white. The grey over white is on an Eumer tube in silver. This tube would give me one head shaker and that would be my only action of the day. The weather was bright and not very nice for a steelhead outing. The water was very cool probly in the forties. We would take yet another drive to go find new water and hopefully some fish. The fishing in the first tributary in years past has fallen off dramatically and in my opinion it cause less people to show up so it is a win win situation. For the most part it was a great trip to spend with Andrew. I did get some great landscape shots. Please enjoy your stay.

Cheers,
Tom G.

PS I will post the pics when I get back to Cincinnati

Happy Holiday

2009-11-24T04:51:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank everyone who has come to my blog and to wish you and yours a safe and Happy Holiday Season!

Cheers,
Tom G.

Casting, Casts, and Swinging Flies!

2009-11-08T12:06:00.000-08:00

Well today would be one of my biggest tests of two handed casting. I loaded my rod with a head of T14 in 14 foot (196 Grain) and 12 foot (168 Grain) lengths. I have a Deer Creek Switch rod that’s an 8wt (400-600 grain). I loaded it heavy today. I was able to cast and turn over large deceiver patterns made of deer hair with little to know problem. My anchor placement was further out of the water, and the head was closer to my hand in the rod guides. This is going to happen with a slower rod like the one I own. I like the slow action rods I feel more of the fight and casting effort than most on the water’s edge! I did manage to swing and hook up with one little plump smallmouth! Well the water levels where great, and the weather was warm. Remember when casting the less effort you physically put into the cast the better your casting stroke will be! I did find a fossilized cast from the Pleistocene era, and a piece of fossilized coral. It is amazing to me when you can find lying on the ground when you’re just relaxing enjoy the pics.

Take care all.

Tom G.

Messin with Photos IV

2009-11-07T07:49:00.000-08:00

Messin with Photos III

2009-11-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

Messing with Photos II

2009-11-07T07:46:00.000-08:00

Messin with Photos

2009-11-07T07:45:00.000-08:00

Driving, Soaked, Sleep Deprived, Hungry, and Mother Nature’s Canvas

2009-11-01T19:51:00.001-08:00

Well I found a crack in my oar that I use for my pontoon boat so floating the Watauga River in Tennessee was out of the question. I found this on Wednesday, and needed to figure out a fix quick! I thought what in the world I’m I going to do now! Well after a long night’s sleep and feeling depressed I called up a good friend in Northeast Ohio and asked if I could crash at his house for a few days. Mind you I call my buddy at 0639 on Thursday! They said come on up and stay with us! I acted like a little school kid again. I then realized I was going to have an easy day in the office on Thursday. I asked my direct manager if I could take off as soon as I had 4 hours in the office. He said I don’t have a problem with that. His response gave me the green light. I told my wife and she said go. I got home swapped out trout dries for steelhead swinging flies! I checked my gear a few times loaded up the truck kissed Carolyn “my wife” good bye and said your awesome thanks! There I was 75 MPH and bound for the Great Lakes shoreline. I must have looked like a mad man trying to get out of southwest Ohio. I arrived on Thursday night at Joe and Wendy’s’ house and we sat around telling stories how I once woke up to 36” snow drifts and me in panic mode! O good times I said, and we all laughed. I was not sure where to fish on Friday. I thought about going automatically to New York, but good friends of mine where telling me to remain in Ohio. So I did fish Ohio on Friday. I was worried about guides getting to my spot before me, and so I was there out of sure boredom 2 hours before dawn! I had so much time on my hands I had a Cliff Bar for breakfast and smoked a cigar. I stared at objects that I thought where moving, and come to find out they were not. I did however scare the raccoon half to death by almost taking a nap on the river’s edge awaking to him scuffing his claws on the rocks! I turned my head lamp on him hoping what I was going to see was not a coyote! It was a cute lil fur ball that about tripped over backwards when I hit him with my head lamp at about 15 feet away! Needless to say I remained awake after that. The sun came up and I proceeded to swing my 5wt switch rod with a trusty olive tube fly! I swung that switch rod for about 3 hours and nothing! I switched tips from T8-T11 from 1’-6” to 4’-6” ad nada! I know this is fishing but wow no takers. This was not typical of this run/pool I was at. I said ok time to succumb to the Great Lakes mentality. I placed my other spool on my switch rod and dumped the Skagit into my back pack for a weight forward Steelhead taper. I placed a bobber onto the leader some split shot an egg pattern and a size 14 olive caddis. I nymphed my little arse off in staging water, fall holding water, and then for the sake I need to look there in winter holding water. My bobber went under I set the hook and there she came out of the black tannic stained water. She was not a happy camper. She immediately took me towards a tree and I pulled her out of that with side pressure keeping her off balance. She then took me for a walk down through two large holes in about a 300 foot stretch. I would then land her tailing her, and then asking myself, “How I’m I going to get a picture of this large hen”! I called to a complete stranger whom almost drowns earlier that morning trying to cross the river in one of the worst areas. I asked him if he would mind taking a picture of this fish. He gasped and said she huge, and I said yes she made my day for sure. Well after taking that single fish my whole entire weekend was made. Years past she did not give up a fish like that to me so that day, and that moment was her gift to me! I would share some water with this new friend of mine, and try and help him connect with a fish before leaving him for the day. I then noticed how black the water was from the tannic stain of the leaves. It was so bad I was not surprised I did not connect with a steelhead due to the floating leaves. There were so many leaves it looked like all the leaves in northeast Ohio came to that creek that morning for a swim! I saw only one guide and his clients on that river in the morning. I did hook the fish below him so it was a happy day! So I hauled my carcass out of the river to return to base camp! The colors on the tree where basically done but you could tell it was an amazing fall as far as colors go. I would then drive to New York on Saturday. I awoke at 0200 to be on the river at 0530. I drove through a rain storm that was so bad I almost stopped to look out for Noah’s Ark. It was coming down in sheets, and I’m not going to talk about that gail force winds! So off to the river to see some old friends! It was good to fish with them. We would be in the rain all day long! I was dry on the inside, but soaked everywhere else. I would not have heavy enough tips to get my flies down to the fish. I had to use the eggbeater! Sorry to disappoint you, but sometimes you need to know your limits! I hooked two fish and landed one! Well this is it so enjoy the pics! I’ll be returning to the promise land the day after Thanksgiving!

Take care,

Tom G.

Hang in there folks!

2009-10-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

There will be lots a pictues of fall foilage, and little fish porn! The fishing has been good by my standards, and headed to NY in a few hours!

Be well,

Tom G.

Rant Vultures, Mosquitos, Leeches!

2009-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

Local Fly Shop Going Out of Business Rant!

Why when a local fly shop closes people you have never seen before at the shop flock to the shop. They have never been to the shop before. When some ones down on their luck you are the first ones to go there and get some great deal! Karma that’s all I will say! You will get yours believe me! The Karma fish is watching. Good luck SW I will be in touch!

Double Taper 7wt

2009-10-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Yes friends a Double Taper casts like a dream on the Switch Rod. Dry action has begun on this rod! To bad its later in the season! I can overhead cast it, and roll cast 25' or less. I can pick up a considerate amount of the line off the water and trap the line and recast to the same holding lie two handed! I ordered another Skagit Compact 375 grain it will be here just before the trip to Tennessee!

5WT Deer Creek Switch Rod Post 1

2009-10-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

Well today was the maiden voyage of the 5wt Deer Creek switch rod. I have to say I’m really impressed with its abilities thus far. I lined one spool of the mid-arbor reel with a Rio Skagit Short 275 Grain and it does not load the rod well in my opinion. For short casts under 40 feet you will be fine, but any greater distance you will be at a disadvantage. The second line I put on my other spool was don’t laugh a triangle taper! I put a 10wt triangle taper on it to see how the rod would react. This line rod combo will be a blast for warm water species sight fishing to carp, gar, and smallmouth! I have ordered a 375 grain compact Skagit from Rio from my local shop. I’m hoping all will be better! Sunday I’m going out to cast a 7wt Double taper on my 5wt switch. I hope this will be a little more finesse than the 10wt triangle taper “lol”! Here are some random shots from today! O yes almost forgot I did not catch any trout, but I did catch bluegills on a dry fly today in the frog water!

Tom G.

Waters Are Fishable!

2009-10-09T19:21:00.001-07:00

I'll have the new 5wt switch rod out swining for the fence Saturday!

The Reels and the 5wt switch rod are here!

2009-09-28T18:42:00.001-07:00

I have spooled up the Orvis Mid Arbor wit ha 275 Skagit Rio line ,and about 200 yards of backing along with a 10wt Wolf Trinagle taper again with about 200 yards of backing. This set up will be for small steelhead and inland tailwater trout I see no reason for more backing! I will have pics next week, and hopefully this rain will have subsided and I can fish them both! i'm really excited about this. Stay tuned it will be worth the weight I think!

The Otter Box

2009-09-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

We have all been there and said “I wish I had a hard case to carry my cigars, keys, cell phone, lighter, and digital camera”. The Otter Box Company has come through for me for years now. I have taken this to fish in the ocean, and all the fresh water you can imagine. I have never had a problem with these cases. They can be found at www.otterbox.com. The Otter Box’s’ have dovetail construction closing latches that ensure that the object inside stays inside. There are several boxes that have a liner in them. I like the yellow color the best due to its high visibility! I have lost my cigars in the surf and they remained dry 20 minutes later when I found them adrift in the rocks!

Big Mix Up on the Reels!

2009-09-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hang in there folks. The shop messed up my order for the reel! It should be here in about 2 weeks! Grr the 5wt switch rod is collecting dust!

Gowanda, NY flood....

2009-09-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

....for those who do not know! I'll be going there to fish this weekend, and see how mother nature treated a river that once traveled at 39,000 cf/s a few weeks ago!

http://www.topix.com/album/detail/gowanda-ny/0UN99P1ASVGBRC0Q

http://www.nrwa.org/NRWAupdates/2009%2008%20August/NY%20Floods%20Gowanda.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4Y6bSAAA78

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xVPUBaE4rs&feature=fvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKOi6fh-K7U&feature=related