Steelhead Alley

It's been awhile since I have added to this journal - too much going on! Fall in Michigan is a busy time - still lot's of trout to chase in Grayling, T.U. business, luncheons to relive all the summer adventures - dreams of Muddlers, Zonkers and Skunks. But now is the time to prepare -

Is that some kind of elEGGant fly(bait) or what! I should feel bad about tying that on the end of a Bamboo Fly Rod, but I dont. In a couple weeks I'll be in the middle of Steelhead Alley in Erie, PA chasing rainbows with all kinds of unusual stuff - what are you gonna do? Stay tuned for further developments.

Every Once in a While - Part III

How about that. Even your humble rodmaker gets lucky once in a while. We spent the week in Grayling and worked the Vendor Day at the Trout Unlimited 50th Anniversary celebration in Traverse City on Thursday. Met lots of T.U. folks from all over the country and had a great evening at the "Michigan Luau". But we did get a chance to float the AuSable on Wednesday morning and stumbled upon this fat fellow who was eager to try a fluffy AuSable Skunk in the bright Michigan sunshine. What a nice surprise. I've said it before - Every Once in a While . . .

Every Once in a While - Part Deux

It's Friday night around 11 pm and everyone is quietly digesting their Gumbo, Bread Pudding and Highland Park. A few of the Tin Fish Club members take a walk down to the dock for a look at the river. Not too long and I here frantic voices and dancing headlights, so I run down with the official Craftsman 30' tape and here you go!



Gene is fondling a 22 1/2" AuSable River Brown Trout that was convinced to bite a classic Gapen Muddler Minnow. You gotta love it! So I guess clean living pays off after all. An easy pick for the fish of the weekend and champion of Tin Fish 2009. Well done Gene! This big fellow now resides in the 2009 Catch and Release Trophy Club at Gates AuSable Lodge.

So you heard me say it before, Every Once in a While . . . .

Mrs. Harris Loses her Virginity

So here we are - enjoying the Montana sunshine and the new kids take a ride down to 3 Dollar Bridge for her very first foray into the Madison River. And things seemed to workout just fine! Thanks to a special Green Crystal Dip tied by her hubby, Fay drags in this very fine Madison River Rainbow Trout! The bad news is, it may be a while before she sees another trout as nice as her very first!





Stay Tuned - More to follow!

14 Days and Counting - Part 2

Here we go again, it's almost time to start packing for another Western Adventure. Still there are a whole bunch of things going on over the next couple weeks, Crosby Stills & Nash, the Mudhens and the Blue Tractor, but it'll be time to load the Jeep and hit the road before you know it. Most important is the one special box of Big Orange Bugs!

We are watching the weather and snow melt in West Yellowstone every day hoping that this year the Big Orange Bugs will meet us half way up the Madison River - somewhere around the Palisades - I'm getting excited just talking about it ! 14 days andcounting.

Every Once in a While

Trout fishing in Michigan is an interesting proposition. We firmly believe (rightfully so) that if you want a really nice trout - you need to be out in the middle of the night, slapping mice or large streamers into the banks and hoping to feel your way into a trophy. But - Every Once in a While - on a bright, sunny afternoon - lightning strikes and there you go!

They call this stretch of the AuSable the "Trophy Water" and you can see why. Drew's got a handful of Brown Trout that would be a trophy anywhere you go. The right day, the right fly - have you ever heard of the "Oil Slick Zonker" - the right sunk log, and . . .

Every Once in a While!

I Love the Smell of Varnish in the Morning

Back in the winter 0f '02 I wanted to try a project a little larger than a Bamboo Fly Rod. I got in touch with Mr. Ken Hankinson and purchased a set of plans for a wood drift boat. A pile of Mahogany Plywood, Ash, Birds Eye Maple - a bucket of Epoxy and Varnish and a huge box of Bronze screws and away we go

Now here we are 6 years later and the old girl is starting to show her age. It's finally time for a little tender loving care - a little sanding here and there, suprisingly few bare spots considering the number of miles down the AuSable and Muskegon. No major cracks or damage in spite of a couple healthy whacks on some stumps in the dark. So get out the old varnish brush - it's been waiting on the hook above the workbench - some light sanding, vac and tack and . . .

Looking pretty good so far. It's nothing elegant - we are more interested in a few nice thick coats of brushed Spar Varnish - just like in the good old days. Every brush stroke is a memory of a splashy rise in the evening, the summer cloudburst that chased us under the Cedars, the nap in the warm sun, the taste of Laphroaig - friends and rivers. I love the smell of varnish in the morning . . . it smells like history.

Back in the Groove

It's been a while and we've covered a few thousand miles. Back from the blizzard of '09 in SouthWest Montana - I guess payback for all those years we laughed at the sunny blue skies and balmy days of April! But we tricked a few trouts - cast some midges between the snowflakes and made the turn in record time to get up to the cabin in Grayling. Here's a shot of a pretty serious Brown out of McCoy Spring Creek.

Had a nice evening in Grayling at the Mason Griffith Founders Chapter T.U. banquet. Got to see some old friends, and raise a little cash. The river up north is running dark and high - may need a few more weeks to settle down. But it won't be too long before all the Trout Expedition veterans will gather up for the 21st. annual adventure.

I Kinda Miss Film

I just dumped a load of images from my digital camera to the laptop. I save a folder of images of each rod I make just because it's pretty easy to do that. I name the folder with a date code and brief description so I can fairly easily find what I'm looking for when the need arises. I have folders going back to 1999, probably tens of thousands of digital images, But I still kinda miss film.

Kodak quit making 35mm slide projectors in 2004. I have one in a box somewhere, I promise I will sort that last shoe box of loose slides and show some on a bed sheet hanging from a curtain rod (I don't know what happened to the fancy, folding movie screen).

Maybe it's just too simple now - set the Camera to "A" for all things automatic, push the little button, plug the little card into the printer, push the "instant fix" button and E-Mail the picture to Aunt Betty.

What happened to the neat little black plastic cans with the colorful film cartridges inside. Opening the camera and carefully aligning the sprocket holes on the film and then the gentle tension as you ratcheted the film advance lever until #1 came into the window. The lady in the PhotoMat Booth who took your stuffed envelope and promised real pictures in 3 or 4 days. I actually spent a little time in a home darkroom with an enlarger, 8X10 photographic paper and trays of developer and fixer. Watching the images eerily appear is still a mystery to me. I kinda miss it.

14 Days and Counting

Mission Accomplished. Quite a road trip yesterday that included a semi-planned stop in Palatine for a quick visit with one of our Jeep Trout Expedition members & family. First time I was entertained with a 12 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper - to go! Nice.

Next was a blast down Rte. 66, past Stateville Penitentiary (they tore down Joliet after Jake was released),

and on down the road to the Autobahn Country Club. What an adventure!

So Charlie got a new fishing pole - I think he liked it. Looking forward to standing in the river, trying to fool that AuSable Brook Trout into eating a tiny Sulfur Dun and putting a bend into that shiny piece of Bamboo. June will be here before you know it.

But Wait ! 14 days and counting before we wing our way West for the first adventure of the season - watching the long range forecast with our fingers crossed and packing some extra fleece - just in case.

On the Road Again

Saturday morning and I'm starting to think about getting ready to hit the road - heading west to Chicago (or at least Joliet) to deliver a brand new split bamboo fly rod. It's a bit of a drive, about 5 hours, but a little human interaction is nice after all this E-Mail, Cell Phone, Web stuff. Technology is great but it hasn't replaced the hand shake!