15 seconds of Fly Fishing - Many Flies Have Come to You....

"Many flies have come to you/with a line that wasn't true/and you passed them by." Enjoy this latest installment of YGF's 15 seconds of fly fishing featuring Ahmad and Andrew.

15 seconds of Fly Fishing - Touchdown - A visit to the Frying Pan

Last month, my good friend Tanner, aka San Juan and Eggs, and I made a journey over Monarch Pass to the much fabled Taylor River. Unfortunately, it didn't quite pan out. When we arrived in Gunnison, a local informed us that the road was closed because of an avalanche. This changed our plans drastically. Not wanting to give up on the trip, we drove another 3.5 hours to the Frying Pan and had a field day. The following is video from our Touchdown at the Pan.

If you want to read more detail about our series of misadventures on our way to the Taylor and eventually the Pan, check out Tanner's blog, "San Juan and Eggs."

Nomad Mid-Length Net Review

How does that Joni Mitchell song go?

"Don't it always seem to go/That you don't know what you've got/Till it's gone"

With my penchant for the hip-hops, I prefer the Janet Jackson remake. That's my jam.

Anyways, I digress, like Joni was saying, "You don't know what you've got/Till it's gone." It's true. Three months ago, I left my trusty Mid-Length Nomad net on the banks of the South Platte River in Cheesman Canyon. Since that fateful trip, it's been a struggle to quickly and safely land, photograph and release fish. Fishing without my mid-length Nomad is like fishing without a mustache. I'm naked on the water.

25" brown fits comfortably in the Nomad Mid-Length Net.

In the past, I was of the opinion, that a net is a net is a net. Times have changed and so has my opinion. A net is a net is a net, unless, it's a Nomad net. I've owned and shattered several wood nets in my day. So, the transition to the lightweight carbon fiber/fiberglass composite was a welcome one. The mid-length net is 37" in length and weighs less than a pound including the rubber bag (0.88 pounds to be exact). The net is coated with a rubberized finish called RiverKoat, which allows for optimal grip when the net is wet. The mid-length net, which floats, comes standard with a clear rubber bag whose opening is 13" wide and 18" long.

Big enough for the average carp.

Over the last two years, I have put the mid-length Nomad net through it's paces. From the big water of Montana to the technical tailwaters and carp flats of Colorado, the Nomad Mid-Length net has corralled it's fair share of fish on a wide variety of tippet sizes. The mid-length net is lengthy enough to reach for a hooked fish without putting too much strain on light tippet. The net itself is light enough to handle with very little effort, making the netting process smooth and relatively effortless. It's easy to carry around tucked against one's back with a sling or lumbar pack. Additionally, this lengthy and light net is durable.

Scoop and Score. Photo: pinchetruta.

I am notoriously hard on my gear. I routinely dropped this net against rocks and pavement. Over the two years of abuse, it showed little signs of wear and tear. Last spring, as I walked back to the car after a long day on the South Platte, I slipped on some ice and pulled a classic "legs pointing towards the sky, fall on your ass" pratfall. The mid-length Nomad net was flush against my back, tucked between my body and my Orvis Guide Sling. As I've most likely expressed in past reviews, I am not small. I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs. When I pratfell/pratfalled/pratfallened, the mid-length Nomad took the brunt of my weight. Instead of splintering and shattering into pieces, the net sustained some surficial damage. The structural integrity of the net survived and it lived to net many a fish after the fall. I am nothing but impressed by the quality of construction and design of the mid-length net and would recommend it to any angler in the market for a new net.

Check the Mid-Length Nomad Net in action in several past YGF videos: What Can Browns Do For You?, 40 MPH and RISING, Cielo Grande, and Glass Carp.

Surficial Damage after the big pratfall

The Mid-Length Nomad Net is available in three different colors (green, river camo, and tailwater) and ranges in price from $149.95 to $159.95. Nomad/Fishpond has a wide variety of net sizes in their lineup. From the smaller Hand Net to the Full-Length Boat Net, Nomad has a net for every purpose. Check their lineup out at fishpondusa.com.

I miss you Mid-Length Nomad Net. Won't you come back to me?

15 seconds of fly fishing - The First

This was the first YGF 15 second instagram shorty. This was made strictly on the iphone as instagram wasn't allowing videos not shot in instagram to uploaded. No soundtrack. No problem.

Glassman Canyon

Ringing in the New Year in Denver means that The Fly Fishing Show isn't far behind. With The Fly Fishing Show comes many a welcome visitor. Last year, I had the distinct pleasure of sharing the water with the Fishing Poet and Sanders in some, let's say, colder temperatures. This year, Russ Schnitzer and I took Cam Cam the Glass Man (or Cameron Mortenson of The Fiberglass Manifesto) into Cheesman Canyon.

Picking out what proved to be the wrong combination for Cheesman's trouts. Photo credit: SchnitzerPHOTO

The Cheese had given up it's fair share of healthy fish earlier this winter and I was fairly confident that we would all have solid chances at it's trouts. I was wrong. The fish were glued to the bottom of deep pools and runs and weren't moving to even the most well-presented fly. Russ managed one spunky rainbow. Cam Cam the Glass Man and I both stung a few of our own. The fishing was shit. But, the day was fantastic. Normally, I don't buy into the idea that it's just good to get out. I could go for a leisurely hike without all the tools of the trade. I fish to catch fish.

Cameron throwing the Epic. Photo Credit: SchnitzerPHOTO

However, this day was different. It was a pleasure to share the water with Cameron. As Cameron and I discussed between drifts, it is comforting to confirm initial online judgements of fellow bloggers. Cameron is solid dude and an excellent ambassador for fiberglass fly rods and the fly fishing community, in general.

Glass Glow. Photo Credit: SchnitzerPHOTO

Cam Cam the Glass Man even got Russ and I to throw his four weight Epic fiberglass rod. I was impressed with the ease of casting and mending. It wasn't fast-action by any means and definitely required a slower stroke. But, it was nonetheless a powerful four weight. It handled the multi-nymph rig with ease and was a pleasure to cast. It was my greatest regret that we weren't able to see the Epic bend on one of Cheesman's finer specimens. Maybe next year.

Throwing Graphite in front of the glass king. Photo Credit: SchnitzerPHOTO

COLD SNAP - New YGF Video

It seems I've done myself a disservice. Two weeks ago, I released my most recent video, titled "COLD SNAP." Prior to the cold snap that hit the Rockies in the beginning of December, a fellow Croat and I made it out on a snowy day. The temperature warmed as the day progressed and the fishing did the same. It was a day in Cheesman Canyon. Enjoy.

COLD SNAP from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

Redington Sonic Pro Jacket - A YGF Review

Fishing in inclement and harsh weather can be productive and rewarding time on the water. Scratch that. Fishing in inclement and harsh weather can be productive and rewarding time on the water when you have the right equipment. Fishing in cold and/or wet weather requires a quality jacket to protect the portions of your body that aren’t covered by waders.

Winter fishing on the Dream Stream in the Sonic Pro Jacket

Redington’s Sonic Pro Jacket is one such jacket. Constructed of 100%, 4-layer waterproof and breathable fabric, the Sonic Pro Jacket features the ultrasonic welded seam construction that is found in Redington’s extremely durable Sonic Pro Waders. The Sonic Pro Jacket boasts seven pockets, including: four spacious zippered, chest pockets, one internal zippered chest pocket, an open internal chest pocket, and a huge double zippered back pocket. Additionally, there are fleece-lined handwarmer pockets inset behind the external chest pockets. The Sonic Pro Jacket also features a waterproof centerfront zipper and an oversized fully adjustable hood that rolls up and tucks into the collar. Finally, perhaps my favorite feature are adjustable cuffs, that when properly fitted, provide a water-resistant seal for your arms.

A look at the front waterproof zipper of the Sonic Pro Jacket

Since I live in Colorado, I don’t experience too many all out rainy days (until recently). However, Colorado is the land of tailwaters and has a plethora of winter fishing available. Winter fishing conditions in Colorado can often times be described as inclement. As such, over the past 10 months, it is my opinion that the Redington Sonic Pro Jacket has been put through it’s paces. After nearly a year of use, I have nothing but positive things to say about the jacket and would definitely recommend it to anyone in search of a high quality, durable wading jacket for the upcoming fall, winter and spring angling seasons. Additionally, at $299.95, the Sonic Pro Jacket is, at minimum, 100 dollars cheaper than direct competitors similar offerings. Yet another quality product from Redington at an affordable price. It’s seemingly what they do.

Bosley gets a good sniff in.

Read on for my detailed take on the Redington Sonic Pro Jacket.

PERFORMANCE

A jacket is either waterproof or it isn’t. The Sonic Pro Jacket is waterproof. Denver receives 300 days of sun a year, so in a typical year, there aren’t a great deal of opportunities to test a wading jacket in the rain. However, when the opportunity has been presented the Sonic Pro Jacket has stood up to the challenge. Perhaps my favorite feature in the jacket are the adjustable cuffs, that when properly fitted, provide a water-resistant seal for your arms.

Sonic Pro Jacket experiences some -14 F temperatures.

In the winter, when water temperatures hover at or slightly above freezing and ambient air temperatures can sink below zero, keeping cold water off insulating layers is of the upmost importance. When fitted properly, the adjustable cuffs create an excellent seal that keeps the insulating layers dry and allows for a more comfortable day on the water.

A look at the adjustable cuff of the Redington Sonic Pro Jacket

In addition to utilizing this jacket during days on the water, I have also used it as a rain jacket during the historic rains of early September here in Colorado. My girlfriend and I sat in torrential rains from 5 PM to 12 AM for a concert at Red Rocks. The only complaint I have is that I didn’t pair the Sonic Pro Jacket with my Sonic Pro waders. Had I done so, my lower half would have been dry as well.

Storage & Fit

As detailed in the second paragraph of this review, the Sonic Pro Jacket features seven spacious pockets. During my days on the water with this jacket, I primarily made use of the four zippered, chest pockets. All four pockets are spacious enough to hold a large 8-row C&F Design fly box. With all of the available storage in the Sonic Pro Jacket, you can replace a chest, hip, or sling pack if you so desire.

Sonic Pro Jacket storage

The fleece-lined handwarmer pockets that are inset behind the external chest pockets are serviceable. One of my only gripes with the design of this jacket is the thickness of the fleece lining. It is a little on the thin side and leaves a something to be desired when the hands need a warm home during a cold winter day.

In addition to the plethora of storage, the Sonic Pro Jacket boasts an oversized and fully adjustable hood. On it’s own without adjustment, the hood is big and unwieldy. However, with a quick adjustment, the hood fits perfectly around a fitted hat and/or knit hat and allows for the comfortable, continued pursuit of our finned friends.

The Sonic Pro Jacket has a relaxed fit. I am 6’2” and 215 pounds. The Sonic Pro Jacket in Extra Large was the appropriate size for my frame. It has ample space for layering options depending on the temperature. In addition to allowing for the user to wear the appropriate layers, the large rear storage pocket serves as the perfect storage space for those additional layers as the day progresses. I found the Sonic Pro jacket to be comfortable when casting, walking, and stalking trout.

DURABILITY

It has been expressed to me by those who I fish with, that I am abnormally hard on my gear. With that in mind, the Sonic Pro Jacket has stood up to all my apparently abnormally hard tests. The zippers, the seams, the stitching, the pull strings are all intact and performing just as well as they did when I pulled the jacket out of the box 10 months ago.

TAKEHOME

I feel like every review of Redington gear I publish ends in a similar fashion. But, rightfully so, I suppose. Durable, well-designed, and more affordable than it’s direct competitors, the Sonic Pro Jacket is worthy of such high praise. With fall upon us and winter knocking on the door, the Sonic Pro Jacket is an excellent piece of apparel to make those foul weather days more enjoyable. The more comfortable you are when fishing in the cold, the more fish you’ll catch. It’s math...and science.

For Something New

It's a new year. Some of you may be wondering, where is the YGF Holiday Special. Well, it's still on the editing table. The end of 2012 was eventful. Mostly in the form of exotic sicknesses and flus. But, the beginning of 2013 started with one these...

...so, things are back to normal and YGF should be back in working order in no time and the Holiday Special will follow shortly. Happy New Year internets. Thanks for all of the support in 2012.

Jungle Fish - A YGF Review

Jungle Fish from Costa Films takes place in the depths of Guyana’s rain forest. It stars Oliver White, Nathan Webber, and friend of YGF Matt Breuer as they attempt to prove that arapaima (the largest freshwater fish in the world) can be caught with a fly rod with the hopes that angling success will lead to a hopefully profitable sport fishing/eco-tourism industry in poverty stricken Guyana.



The 29 minute long film is engaging, entertaining and eventually very rewarding. It is more nature documentary than fish porn and it is a very refreshing change from the norm. No pulsing, high energy soundtrack. Instead, sounds of the rain forest, casting of the fly rods, rowing of boats, arapaima breaching the surface to breath, and ultimately explosive thrashing of extremely large fish. The full-on rain forest experience with a medley of species of fish (arawana, peacock bass, and piranha), river otter, and caiman.

The anglers stay at Rewa Lodge, an eco-tourism lodge in Guyana’s rainforest that employs an entire village. Arapaima, which are endangered, hadn’t previously been caught on the fly. The three anglers go through their fair share of failure prior to catching a beast or four. But, the payoff is huge. Arapaima are powerful, unique, air-breathing, brightly colored, 300 hundred plus pound monsters. The sequence of the first arapaima being landed on a doubled over 12 weight is worth the price of admission alone. Matt Breuer proudly boasted to me in person that he was the first to land one. All in all, the film is well-worth a half hour of your time and is a bargain at $14.95.

Costa Film’s Jungle Fish is available here and comes with the imaginary YGF seal of approval. It’s like being on Oprah’s Book Club...except more distinguished.

Rio Gold Fly Line - A YGF Review

Fly lines are vital piece of equipment. They are, after all, the weight that casts our flies to the fish that may or may not want to eat our “organized” piles of feathers and fur. I have fished with the Rio Gold fly line for the past 3.5 years. For those keen followers of YGF, you might have already thought to yourself, “Hey, wait a second BWO, you have been seriously fly fishing for 3.5 years.” So, I have. I will readily admit that the first two years, I couldn’t tell the difference between good and bad fly line. I am still somewhat of a beginner. But, now...now I can tell the difference.

"Gold and Gold, Gold and Gold" - A silverless Yukon Cornelius

The Rio Gold fly line is a great general purpose fly line. In early spring, Rio provided me with a WF5F (weight forward - 5 weight - floating) line. I have fished it all season. This year, I used the line on a variety of rods (most of which are not my own) including the Redington Pursuit (9ft 5 wt), Sage One (9ft 5wt), Orvis Helios (9ft 5wt), and Hardy Sintrix Zenith (9ft 5wt). All of these rods are fast action fly rods. I have been able to comfortably throw and present small dries to rising trout, then turn around and throw big foam, streamers, or double nymph rigs. August in Montana is really the time when the RIO Gold demonstrates it’s versatility. Fishing tiny trico spinners in the morning, hopper-dropper rigs in the middle of the day, and streamers in the evening, the Rio Gold comfortably handles a variety of fishing situations. Pairing the Rio Gold with Rio's new Powerflex tapered leaders, I was comfortably and accurately fishing a variety of flies in a variety of situations.

Rio's new Powerflex Leaders

Features


The Rio Gold WF5F line is 90 feet in length with a head measuring 47 feet. Simple math tells you that the running line is 43 feet in length. The front taper is 5’6” long, which is considered to be a mid-length front taper. The Rio Gold comes in two color combinations: Moss/Gold and Melon/Gray Dun. I chose the Moss/Gold color combination. With this color combination, the head is Moss green and the running line is Gold. Similarly with the Melon/Gray Dun combination, the head is Melon and the running line is Gray dun.

The Rio Gold Lines line

Rio Gold Taper

The iteration of the Rio Gold fly line that I tested had the following features: XS Technology, Agent X Technology, SFT Technology, Dual Tone, Front-End Welded Loop, and Back-End Welded Loop. The newer version of the Rio Gold fly line has Rio’s new MaxCast and MaxFloat tip technologies. Rio offers the Gold fly line in six sizes (from WF3F up to WF8F).

The front-end and back-end welded loops make changing leaders and/or reels/spools a breeze. For trout fishing, the welded loops have performed well and held up to the rigors of Montana’s waters.

Performance   

As I stated above, the Rio Gold is a great general purpose fly line. It more than handles small to large dry flies, double nymph rigs, and streamers. It performs well with casts from 15 feet to 70 feet. Who knows beyond 70 feet? Can you remember the last time you presented a fly to a trout more than 70 feet away? I can’t. It holds a stable loop if you can throw a nice loop.

But, as with all great general purpose products, it is great at doing everything well...not great. Diehard nymph, dry fly, and streamer fisherman that will spend the whole day fishing one discipline should look towards other, more specialized fly lines. But, for those of us that fish to the ever changing conditions a typical day on the water presents, the Rio Gold is an excellent choice.

I am an avid streamer fisherman. There have been times when throwing some larger streamers, I have experienced the dreaded big fly snap back that can send your streamer off target. That should be expected. It does not have the aggressive front taper of the Rio Coldwater Clouser, Rio Indicator, or Rio Grand lines.

This line is billed to have a taper that allows a rod to load at close range. Found this too be true, especially with moderate to large dry flies, nymph rigs and streamers, however, with a fast action rod, sometimes the rod wouldn’t load completely when casting shorter distances between 15 and 20 feet.

Durability

One can expect 200 to 300 hours of actual use with a modern fly line. If I do some quick, back of the envelope calculations, I fish, at minimum, one time a week (no matter the time of year). That’s at least 52 days on the water a year. During the summer, spring and fall, I will often fish 2 to 4 times a week (two full days and one or two partial days).  Each season is 13 weeks. Assuming that I fish once a week during the winter (13 water days) and between 2 and 3 days a week (78 to 117 days) during the remaining seasons, I probably fish between 91 and 130 days a year (SIDE NOTE to parents and loved ones: I’m sorry, and also, I’m not...but, I also am...in addition i wish that was figure was more like 200 to 300 times a year...so......). Assuming an average of a 6 hour outing (accounting for partial days and shorter winter days) with about 3 hours of actual use of the fly line, I spend approximately 273 to 390 hours of my year actually using fly line. So, a fly line should last me a little less than a year.

It should also be mentioned that I have terrible fly line management. Always stepping on it. Tangling it. So, the lifetime of the average line is mostly likely reduced when I use it. Also, I am poor. I try to get as much use out of my fly lines as possible. In the past, towards the end of the season (after 80 plus days on the water) the welded loop has started to fall apart at times. Additionally, the head of the line starts to sink at the end of the season. But, that is after more than 300 hours of use. During the first 300 hours (or so) of use, the line performs admirably.

Color Options

As I mentioned above, the Rio Gold comes in two color combinations: Moss/Gold and Melon/Gray Dun. I chose the Moss/Gold color combination. In the Melon/Gray Dun combination, the head is Melon and the running line is Gray dun.- casting competition lines - orange and white. wish is was white and orange. According to credible sources - white fly line would be the most stealthy of floating lines. There is a reason, a trout’s belly tends to be white or light. I wish that option was available.

The Take-away

Over the past 4 years, I have owned three five weight Rio Gold lines. I have beat them to death and they perform...very well. For someone who fishes as often as I do, this should serve as an indication of my satisfaction and the durability of the Rio Gold line.

DISCLAIMER: The Rio Gold WF5F Line tested in this product review were provided to me at no cost, but hold a retail value of $74.95. I currently hold no association with Rio whatsoever. As with this review and all future reviews, I will do my best to offer up my honest and unbiased opinion, good or bad.

Pikeminnows - A streamer fisherman's whitefish

I'll say it. I don't like catching whitefish. I don't know many people who do. That's one of the reasons I don't like nymphing. Combined with the fact that it is an easy way to lose four dollars to the dark abyss on any cast, nymphing is not a personal favorite. Sure, it is necessary at times. But, summer is not one of them.

During spring, summer, and fall, I bask in the glory of good streamer and dry fly action. Nary a whitefish to be had. All trout, all the time.

But, this spring and summer's streamer fishing has been peppered with the presence of the Northern Pikeminnow. A fish that, like the whitefish, is native to the waters around Missoula. A fish that, like the whitefish, is not particularly pretty.

One of many.

According to the Montana FWP Field Guide,

The predaceous Northern Pikeminnow is native to Montana west of the Continental Divide. It is somewhat pike-like in appearance with its large mouth and elongated body. Northern Pikeminnow prefer lakes and slow-moving waters. They are considered to be highly undesirable in some situations because they feed on young sport fish. They are effective predators despite their lack of teeth. Northern Pikeminnow are among the largest native North American minnows.

Behind every piece of large woody debris, in every back eddy, along each undercut bank and in each backwater in the Bitterroot, I have caught a pikeminnow. All on streamers. Many of them smaller than the streamers themselves. Other friends have caught larger ones in the Clark Fork and the Blackfoot. The first couple are cool. A nice change of pace and always a surprise. But, lately, they have been wearing on me. They are every where trout should be and they will seemingly eat anything that swims. They are the streamer fisherman's whitefish.

Why are they showing their ugly mugs this year? Is it a result of the removal of Milltown Dam and the subsequent decrease in the population of pike in our local rivers and backwaters? Maybe. I don't know.

Saturday Spotlight with Fish Porn

Last week, I took a break from not fishing to sit down with Caleb of Fish Porn for 20 minutes and talk shop. And by shop, I mean GoPros, editing software, egg timer GoPro mounts, sticking it in people's face for two or three seconds, and song choices. I am honored to be the first interview for Fish Porn's Saturday Spotlight. Have a watch and please excuse my long winded answers and "good dude"-ing.


Saturday Spotlight - Yukon Goes Fishing from FP Media on Vimeo.

Greenfish CPR Mount - A YGF Review

The Greenfish CPR Mount was designed for use on a boat or kayak. The mount itself is comprised of a camera/video camera connection, a removable flex arm, a no-slip foam grip, an expansion locking system, and an additional mount connection. The expansion locking system was designed for locking the mount into most tubestyle rod holders and the additional mount connection is intended for easy use with a Scotty flush mount. I don't own a boat or kayak. Greenfish put together a nice video giving an overview of how the CPR Mount was designed to be used.







I don't own a boat or a kayak. Why do I want to use the CPR mount for my GoPro "video-ing?" There is no short answer. But, I saw the potential for adding a new element to shooting with the GoPro. The mount is sturdy, well constructed, and has several unique alignments that can produce improved and interesting angles for the handheld/wading GoPro user.

I have used the CPR Mount in the following ways. (Please excuse the faces - the same issue that plagues my hero shots apparently plagues my professional hand modeling - mean mugging and gaping moufs (that's mouths with an f))

As a pseudo steadycam.

The CPR Mount has some weight to it. It isn't overly heavy, but with enough weight towards to the bottom end of the mount, it serves as a reasonable steadycam for handheld cameras like the GoPro. Footage taken while walking behind a subject are noticeably steadier when the GoPro is attached to the top of the mount.

Panning shots - they are smoother

"Zooms" in and out. Push up style. Don't mind the stare down.

Did I mention smoother panning shots? Oh, I did. Well, it is worth mentioning.

A great deal of what the CPR Mount adds to the use of my GoPro is stability. The panning shots are smoother than handheld shots. Unlike the PVC pipe that I had previously been utilizing, there is no bend or give in the frame of the CPR Mount. That allows for steady pans and less shaky footage. The two hand "zoom"/push up alignment allows for arms length zooms to be made, adding another dynamic layer to the sometimes predictable set of GoPro shots.

High angles, you will be mine

Fully extended with the removable flex arm, the CPR Mount extends about 4 feet. Add some long arms, I can now get some high angle shots that were once just a bit of a pipe dream. Casting and catching shots will never be the same for YGF as long as I aim it right.

Cons:
The CPR Mount was designed to be used with tubestyle rod holders and/or flush mounts. Beyond the no-slip foam grip, the grip on the mount weren't designed for hand held use. Although, one can comfortably use the mount while holding it around the expansion locking system or additional mount connection.

All photos courtesy of Zach from False Casts and Flat Tires.

Look for a some nice shots using the CPR Mount in the upcoming YGF video (video coming out next Monday or Tuesday).

My CPR Mount is making the rounds. Ryan Thompson of Swift Current Productions and Glacier Anglers used it in portions ofhis video "Lights Out" for the Simms Ice Out Shoot Out. Connor Scott of Glacier Anglers will be taking it on his trip to the Smith River and promised to share his thoughts on the CPR Mount when he returns next week.

The Greenfish CPR Mount retails for $95.99. With the purchase of a CPR Mount, Greenfish gives $4.00 to the charity of your choice (choose between Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, Fish America, Pier Institute, and Recycled Fish). I received the Greenfish CPR Mount from the friendly and knowledgeable guys at Headhunters Fly Shop. In addition to the Greenfish CPR Mount, Headhunters carries GoPro cameras and the associated GoPro accessories and mounts in their fly shop (off to the right hand side when you enter the shop) and in their online store. They also are a great source of information when it comes to putting together your next GoPro video. Seriously, email John (scumliner). He'll answer your questions.

The After Work Special

With spring....springing and the sun setting around 8 pm, the after work special is again a viable option. Getting into to work by 6 am and setting off alarms, so you can get out on the water by 3 pm. You know, "The After Work Special." This edit features four separate after work specials on the Bitterroot. Some trout were caught. Some were lost. Enjoy the video in HD.




The After Work Special from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.
Music:
Jay Dee/J Dilla - "Track 12," "Track 21," "Track 05," "Track 10," and "Track 17"

Also, a big congrats to Mike of Of Dry Flies & Fat Tires fame for taking the 2nd annual YGF Bracket Challenge. Internet pride goes to the Michigan man.

If you haven't entered the Fly Vines giveaway, do so here.

Montana Snow Pack - March 2012

In the Missoula valley, this winter has seemed unseasonably warm. Looking back at the last couple months, I can remember one true and very brief cold snap (in the single digits). For most of the winter, I thought these relatively warm conditions in the valley would translate to less than stellar snowpack in the mountains. But, all the rain we have experienced in the valley have translated to dumps of snow in mountains. These less than scientific observations aside, the snowpack relative to average has been steadily rising since January.

As of March 19, 2012, western Montana's snowpack is healthy. Most of the state's major watersheds have at least 100% snow water equivalent relative to normal snowpack. The upper Clark Fork and Bitterroot have 100% and 105% snowpack relative to normal. Here's to hoping that in the next couple months the high elevations continue to receive and hold snow and we get another healthy runoff with good water conditions into the summer and fall.

Revo Bearing Polarized Sunglasses - A YGF Review

It is often said that a good pair of polarized sunglasses are a fisherman's most important piece of equipment. With good reason, most of us can't smell or hear fish under a couple feet of water. Without a good pair of polarized sunglasses, those feeding trout are hidden from the prospecting fly fisherman.

For the last couple years, I wore a schmedium-sized, substandard quality pair of polarized sunglasses. It showed. On more than one occasion (read an uncountable number of occasions), Bucko would start talking about fish stacked up in a run or riffle. I would stare at the water, through the water, to the water and saw nothing. Meanwhile, Bucko was catching and landing the beasts from what I thought was the mysterious deep.

In the beginning of the year, I received a pair of polarized glass lens sunglasses. It changed my perspective, I could see holding fish everywhere I went. The underwater world opened up to me.

Even more recently, Revo offered me the opportunity to test out a pair of the Revo Bearing Water Lens Polarized Sunglasses. I was more than happy to take the Revo Bearings out on the water.

The Revo Bearings come in three different lens tints: graphite, bronze, and water. I chose to test and review the Water Lenses. The Water Lenses allow 10% of light to transmit through the lenses as compared to the 13% light transmission associated with the graphite and bronze lenses. According to Revo, "the Water Lenses cut back blues, and allows greens and reds to come through in environments with abnormal amounts of blue making it great for ocean and deep water wear."

Here is a brief rundown of the specifications from the REVO website (check here for more detailed specs)

• Serilium Lenses
• Anti-Reflective Coating
• Element Shed
• Revo High Contrast Polarization
• Motion-Fit
• Spring Hinges

Test Conditions - Range of weather and water conditions that the Revo Bearings under which were tested.

In order to fully test the Revo Bearing sunglasses, I begrudgingly fished in a variety of light conditions from early February through mid-March. From cloudy and snowy to sunny with a little bit of partly cloudy weather mixed in, I fished in everything. With a couple warm and rainy days, I even got the chance to fish in some slightly off-color water on the Bitterroot.

To me, there are three things that are most important with regards to a pair of polarized sunglasses for outdoor activities, especially fly fishing: 1) the quality of the optics 2) fit and comfort and 3) durability. Here are my impressions of the Revo Bearing sunglasses after more than a month on the water and around town.

Quality of Optics
The Revo Water Lens is a blue-grey lens with a blue mirror coating. Mirror coating deflects some of the light that hits the lens as a result, some light is not transmitted through the lens. Combining the mirror coating with the 10% light transmission of the blue-grey lenses, the Water Lens should theoretically be excellent bright light condition lenses.

Blue-grey lenses with a blue mirror coating

During this first month and a half with the Bearings, the lenses lived up to the expected bright light condition performance. These glasses really "shined" during blue bird days on the water. That was too be expected. I was very surprised with the glasses performance on partly cloudy and cloudy days. I expected my polarized, copper-tinted glass lens sunglasses to outperform the Water Lenses during these lower light conditions. They didn't. In many cases, I found the Revo Water Lenses to be more effective in comparison to the glass lens polarized sunglasses during these partly cloudy and cloudy conditions.

Fit and Comfort
I have a medium-large to large sized face, depending on the brand. The Revo Bearing frames are considered mid-sized frames. They fit my face extremely well. You know how some t-shirts fit better than others? If the Revo Bearing glasses were a t-shirt, it would be my favorite, best fitting, and most comfortable t-shirt. I experienced no issues with pinching, fatigue, or the dreaded facial imprinting. The spring hinges allow the glasses to hug your face in a gentle, yet firm manner.

The glasses don't feel heavy on the face. In fact, I barely notice that they are on while fishing, driving my the car, walking around town, and applying for real life jobs.


Durability
With the spring hinges, polycarbonate lenses, and nylon frames, the glasses feel sturdy. I have yet to drop them (and I don't plan on doing so in the near or distant future), but I have a great deal of confidence in these glasses ability to hold up to a little abuse. The nylon frames are flexible, but not too flexible. They maintain their designed form, while allowing for a little give here and there.

As an aside, the spring hinges are ingenious. It is the little things that add up to something extraordinary. With the spring hinge, there is an element added durability and flexibility that I have yet to encounter in sunglasses at a variety of price points.

The aforementioned ingenious hinges hinging

Look
I think the glasses are really, really, really, ridiculously good looking. I am not much of a "fashionista" (fashonistas out there, is that the correct usage of the term "fashonista?"), but I like the look of these glasses a great deal. They have replaced my previous everyday sunglasses....as my everyday sunglasses.

really, really, really, ridiculously good looking? yup.

After a month and a half on the water, in the car, at work, at the flyshop, and at school, I have been very impressed and pleased with the Revo Bearing sunglasses. With an excellent set of polarized lens and a flexible and durable frame, I think the $189.00 price tag is very fair. They aren't the cheapest sunglasses by any means, but it matches up well with competing brands by price. I would recommend these glasses to an angler looking for a high quality pair of polarized sunglasses. Imaginary YGF seal of approval has been stamped on these Revos.

Do you want to see the sunglasses on the water? Check out my most recent video, The Leprechaun and the Yeti.

Here are some stills of the sunglasses. Thanks to Anthony from False Casts and Flat Tires for the images of the glasses in action.

From the side.

What I see right before I put them on.

Oh yeah, it comes with a protective case and a cloth. As any real pair of sunglasses should.

See? Uh huh.

DISCLAIMER: The Revo Bearing sunglasses tested in this product review were provided to me at no cost, but hold a retail value of $189.00. I currently hold no association with Revo whatsoever. As with this review and all future reviews, I will do my best to offer up my honest and unbiased opinion, good or bad.

The Leprechaun and the Yeti

Some fishing partners are tall. Some are short. Anthony of False Casts and Flat Tires is the Leprechaun. I, apparently, am the Yeti. A couple of days of fly fishing on the Bitterroot. We got into some solid rainbows and browns, but nothing too extraordinary. Things are heating up, but we could have said that about the entire winter. Although, it is good to have some dry fly fishing on the horizon.

Some guest appearances from Alec of Fly Fishing Life and Cody of Oakfish in the beginning and end of the video.

Music:
Wu-Tang Clan vs. The Beatles "City High (Instrumental)"

The Leprechaun and the Yeti from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.

I went a little crazy on the effects this time. Messed with the saturation and the shadows/highlights. Let me know what you think of the effects.

Hey, Steelhead, let me catch you.

Two weekends ago, I went steelheading over in Idaho with Matt Breuer and LG. For the past two weeks, I have been trying to muster up some grand post about how going fish-less (whitefish don't count, this isn't baseball) over the course of two, windy, cold, and rainy days was the cat's meow. It wasn't. It was like self-flagellation in the church of the Clearwater. Eventually, it started to feel kind of good. So, instead of more words, I will sum it up in FISH JERKS style.

What I thought my first steelheading trip would look like - that's how it works. First trip, big wild buck. Amirite?

What my trip actually looked like. Empty handed. For reference, BWO.

I'd do it again.

Baseball - A Fly Fishing game

For those of you who know me personally, you are aware of my love of games. Games of all sorts. I have a child-like love of games. So, when Anthony (of FCFT) and I were walking back to the Bell Crossing access and he proposed that we play a little baseball, my ears perked up and my eyes opened wide. "A game, what game?" My attention was now solely focused on games. Anthony proceeded to explain to me the game of Fly Fishing Baseball. A little hat tip to Brendan Bannigan of the Grizzly Hackle, who taught Anthony this game sometime ago.

Not my fish. Anthony just wanted to take photos. Photo courtesy of Anthony at False Casts and Flat Tires.

Pre-spawn colors...perhaps.
Photo courtesy of Anthony at False Casts and Flat Tires

Like real-life Baseball, Fly Fishing Baseball has nine innings. Each player gets three outs (fish-less drifts per inning) and different fish are worth a different amount of "runs" ((based on species and size).

So, as we walked back to the car, Anthony and I played a time-shortened 7-inning game of Fly Fishing Baseball (FFB). Anthony had home-field advantage and it showed early. In the top of the 1st, I nymphed a long deep run. The fish were stacked up on the softer, inside water on the downstream portion of the run. After two fish-less drifts, my Pat's stone connected with what seemed like a decent fish. I horsed it. With a late hookset, my inning was over.

Wanting to catch fish and putting the game aside, I fished the same portion of the run as Anthony started the bottom of the 1st inning higher up in the run. I promptly stuck a 14" cutbow and my clinch knot failed. That lost fish wouldn't have counted as it was not my time at the plate. But, my recon paid off for Anthony, as I had found the fish for him. In the bottom of the 1st, Anthony landed a rainbow and a cutthroat and quickly took a 6 run lead on YGF.

I followed up with a small whitefish in the 2nd inning and brought the score to 6-1, in favor of Anthony. I spent the rest of the game trying to hit grand slams, as the sun was setting and the deficit was significant. No more scoring happened in the remainder of the 7-inning game. Final Score: Anthony 6 Ivan 1.

Here is my post-game interview:

"The ball just didn’t bounce my way. I don’t want to point fingers, but this loss was my fault. I came out flat. I didn’t get the job done. Anthony just made the plays when it mattered. I had my chances, but I just let them swim away."

A solid whooping.

So, I like games and stats. I have decided to make this a feature of YGF going forward. Games will be played. Standings and statistics will be "recorded." A page will be dedicated to it. I like games.

Looking at the fish I didn't catch in the first game of the season.
Photo courtesy of Anthony at False Casts and Flat Tires

Here are the official Fly Fishing Baseball (FFB) rules that Anthony and I have agreed upon.

Number of Players - Unlimited (more than one is recommended, unless you like playing with yourself)

Equipment - A player may put on whatever setup he wants to start the game but may only change his rig if he breaks it off.

Drift - A drift is defined as the time between the line entering the water and leaving the water, you can mend it as many times as you want and can drift it as far as you like as long as you don't move your feet.

Ball - If you decide you don't like where your rig landed you can immediately pick it back up and recast. This MUST be done within the first two seconds of the line hitting the water. You get four balls per inning.

Strike - Failure to land a fish on a drift results in a strike. If you hook but do not land a fish on your third strike it is considered a foul ball and you get to repeat your last strike.

Using a catcher - You can use a buddy to help you land your fish but he/she is then entitled to half of your points from that fish, rounded down to the nearest whole number.

Landing a fish - Landing a fish does not against your strike total. You are then awarded points based on size and species. See points chart below.

Strikes, Outs, and Innings -  A strike is equal to an out. Three outs per inning, nine innings per game. Theoretically each player would get a minimum of twenty seven drifts plus whatever extra drifts they get for landing a fish.

Playing the game

A player must declare that he is stepping to the plate, this begins his three strike inning. He must take all three strikes from the same general location, i.e run, riffle, pool.

Players must maintain the same player order that was established prior to the game starting. Any fish caught out of order are not counted towards the players score.

Games cannot be carried over from day to day. If the game has to be cut short the person with the most points is the winner. If the players are tied go to a tiebreaker, biggest fish wins.

Scoring - (Subject to change)

Whitefish = 1 run
Squawfish/Pikeminnow = 2 runs
Sucker = 2 runs
Pike = 2 runs
Bass = 2 runs
Trout = 3 runs
Trout over 16" = 4 runs
Trout over 18" = 5 runs
Pike over 30" = 5 runs
Bass over 18" = 5 runs
Carp = 5 runs
Trout over 20" = 10 runs
Bull Trout = 15 runs
Trout over 24" = 50 runs
Bull Trout over 30" = 100 runs

King of the Herd

New and completely fake terms are being coined. That monster group of whitefish you see huddled around a big trout. That's a herd. And that big trout flanked by those pesky whitefish is the King of the Herd. A day of fishing with the False Casts Flat Tires (FCFT) crew on the Bitterroot. It was generally slow with the exception of the 22" cutbow that Zach hooked and Anthony miraculously netted. We found some pike in some shallow backwater. All of us stung one, none of us caught one. That goal will have to wait. Watch it in HD on vimeo.

Music: Soul Position "Run (Instrumental)"

King of the Herd from Yukon Goes Fishing on Vimeo.