Little Maintenance Goes a Long Ways

Floaters....... Wow , you have got to take care of your boats and trailers. This is almost the 2nd trip in a row that I have seen a trip sidelined to to blown out "bearings" on a boat trailer. Both times right at the boat ramp and absolutely ruining the trip. Besides the obvious routine maintenance, be sure you are not submerging your axles in the below the water line, this will help alleviate a lot of the issues. In addition, have the wheel bearing changed and serviced yearly, especially if you are hauling them a great deal of miles and heating them up greatly.

On other cheap piece of advice is to care a spare set of bearing and accessories in your tool box. Often times there are mobile mechanics you can find to do the work, but finding the parts on evenings, nights, holidays and weekends is another story. This can save the trip and a lot of money.

Busy Winter

It has been a busy winter thus far, as the Floatfisher naval platoon is being revamped for 2017.

After 9 years we will be retiring our Hyside Raft and currently having a new one built by our good friends at Riverboat Works in Salida, CO. Now our 3 boat made by them. 

If you have not heard of them or seen there work, they are worthy of a look. They build some solid frames and carry all the great brands of rafts to put them on. 

On a wildhare, we decided to trade in our two year old Adipose skiff and upgrade to a new one this week. New toys for 2017. January and February will be busy months for picking up new boats and giving them test rows. 

Missouri River Escape

Had the opportunity to run up to Montana, visit Adipose Boatworks to discuss work our boat or a trade-in for a new one. Work in progress, more to come in a future post. after a short stop in Helena, it was off to the metropolis of Craig. Late November and fall cast a whole new spell on the small sleepy towns of Wolf Creek, Craig and Cascade. The bubbling summer cabins are now all boarded up , grasses and flowers are now brown, waiting for on-set of a cold wet winter. Main street Craig, still has a truck, tugging a drift boat or two around , but pretty slow durning the week.

A crazy sight , the dam parking lot with just our rig at 9 am. Not a sole in sight, and none coming. We would launch to very hungry fish waiting to scarf sow-bugs and midges. the typical menu in winter months. We would rarely go 100 yes. or so without a bent rod, giggling and smiles were on tap for the day.

I think we counted two other boats that would put on at Wolf Creek Bridge, but never catch us , as we would venture down to Stickney. We would run into a few hearty ladies and fella's throwing their spey rigs. Most were hooked up on our passes by, so I would say they bit was on.

As you can see I did not get the camera out very much on the fish side. The fishing was awfully good and I just wanted to enjoy the last casts and hookup of the season. All the browns and bows were in full colors. The bows had some deep colors on the strip and gill plates, the eating is rich right now.

I thank my great friend Eric Mondragon and his wife April for treating me like a king upon my visit with wonderful meals and great days on river. Thank you for the variety of dries, steamer and nymphing , spectacular.

Swamp Grass

" swamp grass "

by kuchynkaphoto

Mysterious Grey Ghosts

Just a nice shot of the Mysterious grey ghost of Belize.

Matt's Midge by Tim Flagler

It is that time of year as the waters cool, the large hatches are gone and we are back to 

the midge patterns for several months. Tim has not taken any breaks this year in the pursuit in

producing solid, high quality, fish catching trout patterns.

This is no exception to his arsenal of videos. Simple and effective, as I always state.

Materals will ve in everyones material collection, Just add vise and hook.

" Boneskin "

 " Boneskin "

by kuchynkaPHOTO

Missed a Spot

Guess what pattern was working?

A Special Day on the River

What an incredible fall it is has been fishing and seeing new sights. It seems the weekend activities just do not slow down although the fishing will come to a halting a few weeks after a trip to the Missouri in Montana.

I mentioned a while back that we treated to a special day on the river with noted photographer Josh Duplechian. We would purchase this fantastic donated trip with Josh last winter at the Colorado TU Gala, a great fundraising event. The day would include a all-inclusive day on the river, including a photo essay documenting our fantastic escapade.

As always it was nice to have someone one row Mary and I down the river , allowing the competitive   juices to flow. In addition, Josh would be able to capture us fishing and I did not have to carry the gear. Wow , how nice this was.

Being able to talk camera talk with Josh was great, but still a little over my head, but I learned and absorbed a ton. It would be neat to see the folk rafting, floating and fishing and watching Mary and I fish the Josh taking photos from every angle and position. I am quite sure if they thought where famous or flunkies. 

Josh caught a little of the OCD side of the fly organization, as we were searching for more caddis patterns.

The fall colors and day could not have been more beautiful on the river, however, it may not have been perfect conditions for the fish. Either way we will take it.

The Blooms Caddis was the meal ticket for the day, and many fine browns could not resist.

Mary casting to hundred of rising fish in this fantastic run.

Please visit Josh's website http://www.joshduplechian.com, and if you have have a chance to 

purchase this trip I would highly recommend it.

How to Fish a Soft Hackle

Scanning the intraweb, I came across this nice little "how to" video by Rio Products on 

rigging and fishing soft hackles. It appears this is the 1st in a new series. I found Simon to explain

the rigging and fishing aspect very easy, and will give it a try as I love to tie them and fish them. 

Take a gander.....

Mini Egg Sucking Leech- Tight Lines Productions

Just a real nice egg sucking leech that can be tied from size #12 up to # 6. 

As you will watch this is a very simple tie and you can pump a number of these out

in Sunday morning prior to football. You can substitute materials and colors to your desire.

Belize on the FlipSide

Well someone in the Floatfisher household landed her first permit and bonefish, along with many other flats fish. I have created a monster as it will be hard to talk her away from the tropical locals now.

One of the many small snappers that Mary would land in the week of fishing, and although not all fish were large the initial run would often show backing and give you the thrill. Smiles were found everywhere.

Our local friend CoCo was nice enough to pose and offer to sell us some fantastic coconut artwork

We had to hide Mary from the local authorities, as she was running wild through the town.

Another casual release of a Belizian bone.

The views were spectacular from every angle, especially the flight in. 

El Pescador Fishing and Photo School

Mary and I just returned from Belize after attending the Yellow Dog El Pescador Photo School . El Pescador would be our host for 7 days as we would fish the flats, attend an advanced school on fishing photography and enjoy a little r/r along the way.

Most all the fish of the flats would cooperate to keep the rods bent over and backing spinning off the reels, allowing us to practice the daily lesson plans put forth by the stellar line up of instructors, including Jess McGlothlin, Jim Klug and Bryan Gregson, all world class outdoor and fly-fishing photograghers.

We would be challenged with our F-stops, shutters speeds, ISO settings. We would also be challenged  with dropping the "grip and grins" from our arsenal and challenge ourselves to better hero shot , to keep the fish in the water more, more often. Light and night photography along with light painting was discussed and experimented with, Wow, just a little overload, but extremely exciting.

Did I mention we got to stay a 4-5 star lodge on top of it all, top notch guides to sight the fish for you, work on your casting and teach you more, crazy , clean and cool air conditioned rooms. Ice cold Belikin's . Did I mention fishing. Lots of bonefish, snapper, jacks, rolling tarpon, limited snook.

A crazy shot of the nurse sharks coming out of the water to eat bait, right at your feet.

The sights around San Pedro offered many colorful sights, as every house, restaurant or building seems to be paints a bright hue, it just makes you smile.

One of our favorite lagoons, as it was filled with bones, snook and black-tip sharks to throw flies at,

a great afternoon was spent casting to, hooking and and having medium sized bones run out backing.

A 7wt . was perfect. More to come on the shark and snook in upcoming posts.

A little local graffiti in Caye Caulker caught the lens, with all a beautiful colors on the fence line.

Macro of the bone scales. Oh so cool....