Fly fishing in the winter: layering!

Here's a good explanation of how to keep your self warm when fishing in the winter. Layering is the magic word here.



Update: january 2012
I ordered a Nano Puff hoody recently and man I'm impressed! It's extremely lightweight ("this is gonna keep me warm & protected from the wind?..") and it's very warm without feeling choked and soaked. In other words it's also very breathable. It packs to the size of a large grapefruit.

RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival 2012 edition!

Yes, we're setting up the 2012 edition of the RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival here in The Netherlands!
Besides the Rotterdam we've added Amsterdam as a second venue.

The Rotterdam show will be held on 27 Feb 2012. The Amsterdam show probably the day after, but we're still waiting for confirmation from the cinema.

Tickets for either of these venues are only available here.

The trailer of the main feature movie called Hatch can be seen here.

Here are the postings on the previous 2010 show here in The Netherlands.

Update 23 dec 2011:
We can announce that the Amsterdam venue (28 feb 2012) will be held at the famous Tuschinski theater!

Kamchatka

Here's very nice capture of what Kamchatka has to offer.
Enjoy!

Ultra lightweight hippers

I like to use my lightweight breathable hippers when I don't need to wade deeper than my thighs. Especially when the weather conditions are warm and sunny, walking around in full chest waders can be pretty warm. Mine is made by Vision.

Here's a new idea from Chota. It started as a 'wading sock', which is a real dumb idea, but they developed it further to a 'packable hipper'.

When you don't need it to go deeper than knee deep, the upper part stays rolled (packed?) down. When you need to wade deeper, just roll the remaining part up and you've got a full hipper!

The Vision hipper I got is really lightweight. When traveling these hippers can be rolled to the size of a shoe. It beats wet wading when you're concerned about getting cold later in the afternoon. You can pull down the upper part when you need to walk longer distances so the transpiration can't build up inside.

But Chota's version looks even more lightweight. Not sure about the durability though since the fabric seems to be a lot thinner too. Click here to watch a video on the Chota hippers.

Reading glasses

I've never thought I would be needing reading glasses but it looks like it won't be long before I'll really be needing one myself. During bright day light conditions I can tie my fly without any problem. When it starts to get a bit darker it can be a bit more difficult.

Well anyway, here's a neat foldable reading glasses specially made for fly fisher(wo)men. It is put out of the way (when clipped on your hat's visor) when you don't need it and it folds back when you need them. You don't even have to take your sunglasses off as it can be positioned in front of your sunglasses. Pretty neat!

Click here to watch a video on the Flex Spex.

Predatory trout

A few trips back I hooked a small trout. A few seconds later the fish made a huge run. Well, that's what I thought it did but actually the little guy turned into lunch for a big guy.

The big guy was holding the smaller fish so firmly that I could fight the fish all the way to the shallow part. I lost the big guy eventually because I was trying to get a picture of the situation while trying to beach him.

The picture is terrible but it did capture the scary moment for the little guy. Click here to get a better look.

iPhone 4S

The new iPhone 4S has a new improved 8 megapixel lens.
Check this short video out. The field of depth capability was already pretty impressive on the iPhone 4, the new iPhone 4S is even more impressive.

Steve Jobs passes away

  

                   1955 - 2011

Indian Summer

Yes finally! Unexpected yet so a very welcome surprise. Mid september the weather started to warm up again and the sun was shining as it were mid summer. So I took a few days off and headed to Austria. My buddy Rolf missed out this trip again and he's regretting ever still.

I went for a 3 days trip to the lower Austrian alps to fish the Mur as well as an old friend in Southern Germany. The Mur is a pretty intimidating river at first. It can be swift and steep for many miles on end to widen and slow down in pace.

The days prior to my arrival the warming started with a 5 inch snowfall in Austria. The melting of the snow made the river slightly higher as well darken the water. The day I fished the Mur the water was just clearing up, yet not as clear as the days after.

I decided to try the mid section of the Mur (8 km total length), which also happens to be the swiftest part. The sun was high and hot. The fish didn't seem to mind. The fish weren't big but they were eager to take the offerings. The way to fish this kind of swift waters is to search the slower edges.

This 3 days of warm inidan summer fishing was a very welcome break from a mediocre summer season.

I made a short video of the trip. This almost never materialized because I seem to have left an essential part of my tripod at home (the removable tripod head) as well my almost ancient digital camera taking a dunk on the first day. It has been wet before but this time it didn't survive the dive.

Thanks to my little GorillaPod I still managed to capture some nice steady video shots.






A note on my (more than 30 years old!) Orvis Tippet:
I fished my Orvis Tippet on the 3rd day. My trusty Orvis Tippet got a new grip (yes, that amazing Superfine grip!) at Orvis headquarters in Manchester Vermont early this summer. They did a great job at Orvis. I got a dozen locally baked doughnuts delivered at the Orvis rodshop as thanks. Orvis just checked my posting as you can see in the screen shot.

Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple

Historic day in Apple history. Steve Jobs resigns as Apple's CEO.

It was obvious that Jobs' health has been diminishing the past few years. He wasn't getting any younger either. So the day Steve would pass the job to another guy (or gal) was just a matter of time.

A CEO leaving is nothing special. This happens all the time all over the world. But how is Apple going to stay at the cutting edge of technology without Steve's vision and his ability to make a product such a huge success? Steve was Apple and Apple was Steve. Who's going to take this role over? Of is it even possible?

Here's a very interesting documentary about Steve Jobs and his amazing achievements at Apple.




Lots of stuff on Steve Jobs at AllThingsDigital.

All video's (interviews / presentations / keynotes) are stored at one place here with the Ultimate Steve Jobs collection.

iPhone & warfare (at the office)

Check this commercial on Griffin's new toy for your iPhone (or iPad).
Simply brilliant!

Getting the iPhone really wet

Ever taken a swim in the stream when fishing? A bit of water won't harm your gear. It's the vulnerable cameras, pocket camcorders and cellular phones I'm worried about. How to keep them dry when there's a chance they'll get wet. Or if you want to shoot some underwater shots?

Some time ago I got a waterproof case for my pocket camcorder (Creative Vado HD). This case sure gets the job done. In fact it's really waterproof so it will keep the camcorder dry when you take a swim or capture shots while swimming. Think about nice shots of your trout swimming away after releasing.

So, I did try shooting some underwater shots with my Vado with this jacket on. The verdict? Not quite. The captures were fine all right. It's the noise of the rubbery material of the case that can be heard on the recordings I don't like. Scratching noise of the case while handling the case and noise of the camcorder rubbing against the material really distracts from any natural sound of water rushing underwater.

Recently I have been planning to use my iPhone to shoot some video captures on my next trip. The idea of getting my iPhone wet or even drop it in the water doesn't sound good. So I have been looking for ways to keep it dry when using around the stream.

The other day I ran into this: the Phonedome.
Basically it's like a condom for the iPhone. Very light polyurathane based skin that goes around the iPhone.  The final sealing is done using the sticky tape that comes along with it.

I really like the 'cut to the bone' sealing of the iPhone. No loose pieces sticking out. It's supposed to be waterproof so I could even shoot some nice underwater shots too. Nice to know that the phone is also protected against dirt, grease, etc. Both front and rear camera lens area are clear to ensure sharp pictures and videos.

The downside is that you have to take the phone out to get it charged. I'm not sure if the tape will stay 100% waterproof after removing it a few times. Fortunately the Phonedome is shipped with an extra tape strip (I got a two pack deal by the way for $12 including shipping).

Now, the proof of the pudding is eating it. So we'll see how this works out on our next trip.
Here's in the mean time a video on Phonedome.


Update 30 sept:
I tried the Phonedome on my recent trip to the Mur. The Phonedome does give me a very secure feeling that if my iPhone gets wet, there will be no damage what so ever. My good old digital camera went for a dunk and it died, so getting your gear wet is a real threat when fishing.

However the photo and video shots made with the Phonedrome on gives the captures a misty hue that I don't like. The sound gets muffled as well. So, unless I know I will be wading on wobbly stretches I think I'll use my iPhone without the Phonedome. I'll keep it in my vest so I can put it on when I start a wobbly walk in the water.

Free as a bird

Check out the latest adventures of Jetman: a guy flying around with a wing on his back with a mini jet engine. This time he's flying over the Grand Canyon!

Watch the full 720p version to get the maximum boost!

Moose fishing with a dry fly

Here's how people in Sweden catch moose with a dry fly. But be sure you know what you're doing though!

Another One from Sage

Sage is replacing the Z-Axis rod series with a new rod series by the name of 'One'.

Even though the Z-Axis series has been on the market for around 5 years, it still sounds like it hasn't been that long ago the Z-Axis was introduced. I have no idea whether the Z-Axis has been the success Sage hoped for? I got the saltwater version for a 6 weight line. I bought it for light saltwater fishing but I haven't used it so far.

I think the green pea color of the Z-Axis blank is one of the ugliest color I've seen on a fly rod. The new One will be black. Well Sage calls it 'black ice' or what ever that may be. The lighter rods (3 - 5 weight) have the similar half or mini wells grip like the TXL-F rod series. In fact it's almost a copy of the TXL-F look as the hardware is almost the same. I like the mini wells grip and it feels comfortable too. Sage also reduced the weight. The 5 weight 4 piece rod weighs under 3 Oz, which is pretty amazing.

Well, I'm sure this new One will cast very nice. Oh the price! Starting off at around $700, so that's pretty steep for a fly rod. As soon as I've cast one, I'll let you guys know what I think.


Update 23 nov 2012:
I have cast the One on several occasions during the last 6-8 months. But recently I've cast the One (9ft #5) next to a Hardy Sintrix (9ft #5). Wow, what a huge difference! The Sage felt lifeless and stiff. It came alive after 25+ feet of line. Close in was pretty bad. The Hardy was amazing close in and longer line. It felt smooth all the way.

Sage has in my opinion gone just too far with their ‘performance rods’...

RISE 2011

The filming of the 2011 edition movie for the RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival has just been rounded up. It has been one intensive journey to capture all the beauty fly fishing has to offer. Places visited includes New Zealand, UK, Poland, Norway, Slovenia and Russia. Nick is on his way to his home country New Zealand.

Check out the neat trailer of the coming main feature movie called Hatch my buddy Nick managed to edit just before heading back home. Nick told me that it's his first movie entirely shot using his new RED One video camera. Basically the camera also used for filming Hollywood block busters. Does this also means that Hatch will be released in Blu-ray? We'll have to wait and see!

The RISE Fly Fishing Film Festival venue will again be held in The Netherlands this year. The exact date(s) are yet to be set but probably somewhere in november. Keep posted for more news on Hatch as well as the venue.


Update october 2011:
We won't make it this winter. The shows will move to February 2012.

My type of stream

This video is actually a (semi) commercial of the Norwegian fly rod manufacturer called Guideline.

I have cast a couple of their rods so far. They, I've only cast some of their trout rods, cast pretty decent. Nothing to get really excited though. I think the cosmetics and used hardware is a bit too robust and bulky. For example a short and light 3 weight rod has the same grip size and hardware as a 9 ft 5 weight. I prefer the cosmetics and hardware that matches the rod's line weight and rod length. For example Sage and Winston does it a lot better on this.

Well anyway, what I want to show you is the stream the fisherman in this video is fishing. This is somewhere in Slovenia (the website mentions Sava Bohinjka). Man, that's the type of stream size-wise I like best! Check out the clearness of the water as well as the scenery!

Deja Vu...

I've said it before. The past several years the weather is simply not working for me when I plan a fishing trip.

Spring has been very sunny and dry so far. In fact, way too sunny and dry. It's now almost summer and we're now in a rainy period. But not when I try to plan a fishing trip for gawd's sake!

It doesn't look hopeless, but it's certainly not the type of weather I want prior to a fishing trip. I want at least a good week of sunny and dry weather so the rivers clear up. Now it has been raining showers on and off for the past week and it looks like it will stay this way at least a week.

I'll check the locals in a few days to see if this rainy period means high and murky streams. Jeez!...


Update 17 june 2011:
Yes, we cancelled our trip. The weather forecast for next week doesn't show improvements, rather it looks even worse... This sucks big time!

Update 19 june 2011:
Yes, the rainy season is in full swing as it seems...
I guess we should kill our time until the sun comes back with tying flies.

Update 31 aug 2011:

As it seems this summer was the wettest summer since the Dutch weather has been registered in 1906. Well, it sure looks like weather extremities are following each other very fast recently. Not a good sign...

Ten Two - amazing magazine

The internet seems to be an endless source of information. It's probably also the biggest threat to the traditional magazines. I for one dropped my subscription renewals for Fly Fisherman, American Angler and Fly Rod & Reel eons ago.

The internet has given birth to many new web based magazines. New formats like the visual experience of Catch Magazine are simply a flood of breathtaking multi media. There are others who take a more traditional magazine like approach. Take a look at Ten Two. This free (!) magazine on fly fishing and travel is simply amazing. The pictures taken by the best fly fishing photographers and the destinations are simply mouth watering.

Go to Ten Two and get the free subscription. Even better, bookmark the site and enjoy the magazine on your iPad when traveling. Killing time at the airport waiting for your trip to some marvelous fly fishing destination.

In the mean time - new RISE filming

Here's a short text message I got from Nick Reygaert.

Nick is now traveling across the globe (won't give away the destination!) filming the movie which will be showed at the next RISE Film Festival late fall this year.

We'll have to wait and see what Nick has been shooting this summer!

"Heads or tails" - Dry fly magic

This video by Todd Moen is simply amazing. A superb spring creek running through a private ranch (Circle 3 Spring Creek) in Dillion, south west Montana. I need to pay this stream a visit next time I'm in Montana!

Update April 30, 2022:

A 'behind the scenes' kind of video of 'Heads or tails'. Lots of good tips from Peter Corbett of Creekside Angling Company, the angler in the video.

Getting ready for the new season

Spring is definitely in the air at last! The season hasn't started yet for me but I'm already eager to cast my first cast on a gin clear stream. The anticipation of the first fish on a nice graphite or bamboo fly rod is surely something to look forward to.

Have you given your fly rods a good clean up yet? Keeping them in a good condition will make sure they will perform for many years to come.

What I do is give the rod a good shower to loosen up any dried up dirt. Dry the rods using a clean towel. Maybe a little bit of car wax will keep the dirt away and make the rod surface water repellent (prevent line sticking to the rod). Give the cork a good rubbing with an old toothbrush. Check whether the guides are still okay. Get a guide which shows marks of wear replaced. Otherwise it will ruin your fly line.

How about your fly lines? Give every line a cleaning up with a clean damp cloth. Pull the line a few times through it to get the dirt off. When the dirt is off, dry it by pulling the line through a clean cloth (like an old T-shirt). I put the line back on the reel by reeling the line through a paper towel and some line conditioner/cleaner. A line that glides smoothly through the guides when casting just rocks!

 Next. Getting your fly box ready!

New fishing season

The sun is finally shining, the temperatures are up.
I'm very much looking forward to a new fishing season.

What about you guys? What are your fishing plans?