Simpler Times

I was recently reading a fly fishing forum in which someone asked why they no longer made the Pflueger Medalist reel.  I think the honest answer is because there is no longer a significant demand for that type of reel in today’s market.

The Medalist has always been one of my favorite reels.  When I first started fishing, my folks bought me a cheap Medalist copy as my first fly reel for my 12^th birthday.  It worked fine for catching bluegills, but even at that young age, I lusted to get a genuine real deal Medalist.  Over the course of the next 50 so years, my wish came true, I did get a Medalist.  Actually truth be told, many Medalists reels.  Over the course of the years I’ve caught countless tens of thousands of fish with a Medalist reel hanging off my rod.

Other than the few Hardy reels I own, the Medalists are still my favorite reel.  They look ad feel the way a fly reel is supposed to look and feel, at least to me. Maybe the reason I like Medalist reels so much is that they seem to have become an old relic, just like me.

Harsh reality tells me I think the reason they are no longer made, is because there was no longer a demand for them. It seems like unless a reel is large arbor, with a disk drag and a $300 price tag, it just isn't what is what folks want to buy or use. I actually don't have a problem with that; folks should buy and use what they enjoy.

When I was a kid, I use to love to shoot a bow and arrow. I had a Fred Bear recurve bow, I thought it was state of the art with its laminated fiberglass limbs. For whatever reason, I got out of archery. A while back I looked into getting back into shooting arrows. As I started looking at equipment, everything had changed. Bows no longer were more or less a stick and a string, now they had wheels , cams, cables  and a bunch of other space aged looking gizmos. 

Fly fishing has seemed to undergone a similar progression. I guess that is just the nature of things.  I am convinced that fly fisherman say they enjoy the simplicity, yet they are drawn to complexity like a moth to a flame.  And again I’ll state there is absolutely nothing wrong with that if that is what floats one’s boat.  It just isn’t for me. I am glad in my younger days I bought alot more stuff than I really had a need for, I have more than enough of the stuff I like to last the rest of my lifetime.

Over the years, maybe subconsciously I felt the world was passing me by, taste and styles change.  I think that was the major appeal of tenkara to me.  it took me back to my roots.  I provided the simplicity that first attracted me to fly fishing.

Of course, as an aside, I’m not sure how long the simplicity will stay in tenkara trends. 

Year of the Spider

http://www.amazon.com/Year-Spider-Philip-Storey-ebook/dp/B00GKX52K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384602460&sr=1-1&keywords=Year+of+the+spider

At least as of today, this is a free electronic book being offered on Amazon.  This is a British book that highlights the use of flies that would work very well with a fixed-length line system -

Journalist, author and unrepentant trout bum Philip Storey spends the summer on an urban river in the North-East of England fishing with centuries-old spider patterns. These are the flies that have stood the test of time and still work today. Year of the spider contains images and tying instructions for possibly the simplest to make flies you will find, along with a detailed diary recording the conditions (temperature, humidity, wind, air pressure, river height etc) in which they were successful along with lots of fish pictures taken one-handed and at odd angles. This is more than just a fishing guide or a ‘how-to’ manual; Year of the Spider takes the mystery out of fly fishing and selects nine, easy to tie flies that will carry you right through the season catching fish all the way.

Fear of Fly Casting

Very funny vintage column written by Dave Barry, well worth a read if you'd like a chuckle -

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/27/997748/fear-of-fly-casting.html

Beautiful Tenkara Rod Cases

Bamboo tenkara rod cases

Caddis Cases

Tres interesting, the caddis segment starts at 2:33

Stages of a fly fisher

I remember reading a long time ago (I wish I could remember exactly who said it) that a fisherman goes several stages throughout their days on the waters.  It goes something like this –

1. I just want to catch a fish, any fish 
2. I want to catch a lot of fish
3. I want to catch BIG fish
4. I like to catch difficult fish
5. I just like to fish, catching isn’t all that important

Not sure why that came to mind, but it may have answered a question I’ve often mulled over regarding to whom a fixed-length line system has an appeal.  It seems like many first time fly anglers become very enthusiastic, as do many long time fishers.  It seems like folks in the middle can often take or leave it.

When I thought about the evolutionary path described above, maybe that makes sense.  There is probably no better way to catch a first fish than to use a fixed-length line system.  As a matter of fact, the same holds true for with regards to catching lots of fish.

Where things get dicey is for the folks who value large fish above all else.   Fixed-length line systems are designed to fish accurately and precisely, in exchange for that, they give up power.  The system just isn’t designed to stop a large, fresh fish dead in it’s tracks.  If big fish are ones goal, they are better off to stick with a reel.

Where the fixed-length line system again comes into its own is when it comes time to catch difficult/selective fish.  This is where the delicacy, accuracy and precision shine.  And I do think it also appeals to the folks at the end of the spectrum.  It not all about the fancy complicated equipment and library of 20,000 fly patterns.  It’s just about spending so quality time out on the water.

Hoo Rag

One thing we all appreciate when it comes to fishing is simplicity and versatility.  I recently came across a simple idea for a piece of clothing that provides alot of options for keeping comfortable when out on the water.

Not only is it a versatile idea, it comes in some nice fishy colors.  Here's just one