I just placed my order for a Rise Level 7 wt. If it doesn’t get to my house before April 1 that is just fine by me. I won’t fish it until after then anyway because I bought it for chucking big streamers at browns on the Au Sable. That season opens on the 1st of April this year on the Au Sable’s Big Water thanks to new regs. Hopefully I will be there the week after the opener and I will wait to string it up until then because there is just something about buying a rod for a purpose that says “no, just wait for the right time”. If I get to string it before then for a good reason I will surely post a review. In the mean time you can stop buy the Roughfisher and read this. Either way, I’m pretty excited to be adding this  7wt to the arsenal as I don’t own a rod of that weight and I like what Rise is doing. Visit the Rise site and read all about it. 

I have been pretty satisfied with the TFO TiCR 6wt that I have been using as a streamer rod. As the flies grow bigger the need for a heavier stick to throw them with has grown too hence the purchase. My 6wt. is a build from a friend and it is a slick rod. The black blank, black guides and anodized silver real seat make for a pretty stealthy looking rod. Its not anything super fancy or high dollar but it was built for me with the components that I chose so it will stay with me for a long time. The guy that built my rod is Doug Enslen. He is an old school streamer guru. He was my streamer fishing mentor (though I seem to need some more mentoring sessions!), he builds some of the sweetest rods you’ll ever see under the name of Au Sable Rod Co., and he wades like a goddamn heron on speed. I’m not exagerating, the guy moves down a river unlike anyone I have ever seen. There are times that I would’ve sworn that his wading boots were actually more like running shoes. His boots seem to never touch the bottom, he never splashes, and there is barely a wake behind him. He slides down the river quickly and gracefully only stopping when he sees a spot that looks like it’ll hold a big fish. Fishing with him is a solid lesson on how to cover a lot of water in a sort time and somehow avoid drowning in the process. I look forward to the day I get to row for him and watch him work a streamer from the boat. It’ll be a good lesson for sure. Doug doesn’t build rods commercially but he should because he does amazing work. Its sort of a friends only gig and I am lucky to have had the benefit. As I said before, I love that rod that he built for me and it will still see its fair share of time on the water but sometimes the 6 just isn’t cutting it for the really big stuff so it was time step up.  I’ve been shopping for a bit and I stumbled on Rise via Moldy Chum and took a look.

I think what Rise is doing as a start up is right on target with the kind of company that I would like to support. They are a guide based co. with a healthy portion of the profits going to conservation and they seem to be pretty grass roots and I like that sort of thing. Yeah, the rods are built overseas. So are a lot of them that are affordable these days. I guess that’s what we’ll have to get used to in a global economy. I work for a US auto maker and not buying an American made rod probably makes me a hypocrite but so be it. If I had the $600-700 to throw at one of those sticks I would surely do it but I don’t so I am happy to be supporting a new company that is doing the right thing.

The picture above is Hannah Belford, a Rise team member, via the Rise Blog. I added the red fish pic because a few of us are headed to FL in May to chase reds, baby tarpon, and snook in canoes and I can’t wait. Should be good fun!

In other news… its snowing again here in NW Ohio but I guess that’s to be expected for Feb. We’re on the up-swing for spring though and the second part of  steelhead season is coming fast!

Why another boot review? Because I love these fucking boots and they deserve it. That’s why.

I’m fairly certain that I bought these last year and they were closeouts from 2007. If someone knows differently, I stand corrected. Patagonia is, as most of us know, expensive gear that is worth what you pay for it. Most every piece of gear I own that wears the Patagonia label has been purchased direct from their website via the “web specials” section or inherited. Whichever the case, I will always stand by the label. “Patagucci” or whatever, I believe in the product and I like what they stand for.

These boots were on the “web specials” page and I think I paid about $75 for them. The sticky soled versions were there too for a whopping $5 more but for whatever reason I went with felt. Do I regret that decision? Maybe. But certainly not by any fault of the boot. The basics are pretty simple. They are light as hell well they are dry so a long walk to your favorite spot is a piece of cake. On the flip side, they remain light as hell for the walk back even after they get wet. As for the walk, they’re pretty much like walking in hiking boots. Super comfy even after a mile or two. What about durability? Well, the felt has worn well and hasn’t started to de-lam yet and the rest of the boot looks about like they did when I bought them. (I wish I could remember when that was. As I write this I’m starting to think that they may be in to their second season.) And getting in and out of them is easy enough thanks to a wide opening. What more can I say? Overall, these are well designed boots and I will absolutely buy another pair when these wear out.

I am usually the first one to bash  ‘big box store brand’ products.  Just too many bad experiences in the past.  But I also have to give praise where praise is due.  I went into just such a ‘big box’ outdoor store in search of a new pair of wading boots.  Where we live in northwest ohio there are no local fly/gear shops to support (at least not any that would have waders/boots) so options are limited.

My intentions going in was to buy a pair of Chota STL’s ($135), but when I tried to get them on and off…. I wasn’t very impressed.  They had gotten good reviews from a lot of publications, but for me, getting those damn things on in below freezing temps, with frozen waders, in December, in Ohio or Michigan, wasn’t going to work.  I’ve had Chota’s before, and like them, but I couldnt get over this issue.  So on with the search….

After some conversation with the salesman, and the Hatchless Admin, I decided to roll the dice and try the store brand.  Cabela’s Guidewear Pro Boots. On the surface, they look VERY simialr to the Chotas.  Closer inspection of the soles, and stud system, really makes me think they may be made by the same manufacturer (but I’ve been wrong before).  The large opening makes them, by far, the easiest ‘on-off’ boots I’ve ever worn.  After 5 or 6 events, they are comfortable, provide good traction (these are felt soles—I know, shame on me), and seem to be defect free.  Did I mention they really go on easy???  Looking forward to trying out the removable studs for steelhead season, but I haven’t done it yet as the floor of the Hyde wouldn’t like it. 

Overall…. good boots, good price.  The real test for me?  How will they hold up to the abuse.  I’ll do a follow-up……..

Suppose they allow spikes?

Not enough spare time to get all your hobbies in? How about mixing fly fishing with a little golf at Alaska’s Rainbow River Lodge’s excellent floating ball driving range, where the prevailing winds blow the balls back to shore! Don’t forget the awesome trout and sockeye fishing in the Copper River, which is just minutes away…

Original post from ‘Fishing with JD’  http://fishwithjd.com/2008/07/24/the-worlds-coolest-driving-range/

New issue of This is Fly dropped. This mag has come a long way in a short time. I love that they are not wasting paper and that they have great content. This issue features the art and an interview of Jeff Soto…one of my favs.

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