Back To The Start

Back to the Start from Comodín de la Helvetica on Vimeo.

WARNING - NON FISHING POST: Anybody that knows me knows how I feel about factory farming. It's why I don't eat fast food. It's why I eventually want to get back to my roots and live on a working, sustainable farm. Killing animals is how food gets on the table and I don't have a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is keeping 100 chickens in a small cage, stuffed together with all of their beaks cut so they don't kill each other. Beef is wonderful, but I don't want to participate in pumping cattle so filled with hormones that they become zombies. These are both examples of how your chicken McNuggets or Big Mac get onto your plate.

What I am getting at is this; I want to eat meat, but that doesn't mean that I want to torture animals. That is exactly what is happening in factory farms across the country. So one day, I would like to get back to where I know that the food I eat comes from animals that lived quality lives and were treated with dignity. If this still doesn't make sense, watch the video above (or just watch it if you like Willie Nelson) to see the difference between sustainable farming and the commercial slaughterhouses. Don't forget to turn off the playlist on the right, so you don't have two songs going at once.

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The Last Day of My 20's

Tomorrow, I will be 30 years old.... sobering.

It seems like yesterday I was a 20 year old kid running up and down river banks looking for risers, scraping my knees on rocks and smoking cigarettes. Now I rarely do either, choosing to fish more from boats and laying off the tobacky. I've seen a lot of stuff since then. At 20, I had yet to fish a lot of amazing places. Alaska, Montana, Oregon, Wyoming and the Keys were all places that were far off fantasy lands. Now I have experienced them all. I have even managed to catch a few fish along the way.

So what now? Is this the part of my life where I settle down? Is this the beginning of the end?

I like to think the opposite. My 30's are going to be the best years of my life. I am going to fish more exotic places like Kamchatka and Argentina. Hopefully I will be able to afford nicer things, so I plan on getting more into bamboo, nicer spey gear and classic glass rods. I am going to spend more time looking for mushrooms and identifying birds instead of watching a bobber bounce. Instead of resorting to nymphs, I will fish dries or streamers even more than I do now. I will fish less crowded places than are harder to get to. Not because I want to catch more or bigger fish, but simply because if I don't do it now, who knows when I will. My thirties will be my best years of my life filled with love, excitement and adventure.

Carpe Diem, my friends.

Sometimes We Need A Hero

Asian Carp are the biggest threat to the Great Lakes fishery there is. In these dire times, we need some heroes to step up and save humanity... The Peoria Carp Hunters may just be those heroes. Eradicating Asian Carp, one sword swipe at a time. We owe you a debt of gratitude, gentleman.

For those of you lacking in sword fighting ability, num-chuck skills, or just cant stay up on water skis, do your part by visiting freshwaterfuture.org to learn what you can do to stop these bastage fish.

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I'm Sorry New Mejico

I'm sorry New Mejico. Those were harsh words I said about you yesterday. After talking all day with the magistrate in Aztec, I finally got everything settled. All I had to do was sign a plea sheet and pay my fine online. So rational minds prevailed, and by no means was I looking to get out of my pfd ticket, I just didn't want to have to drive 14 hours round trip to do so.

So consider this my apology New Mejico. Thank you for all of your healthy trout, thank you for your enormous pike and most of all... thank you for the good friends that always end up fishing with me. All despite my blatant disregard of your pfd rules.

Cheers

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New Mejico Can Kiss My...

Ask anybody, New Mexico has some pretty cool fishing. There is a lot more to the place other than the San Juan, but right now, I am hating them. I got a ticket for not wearing my pfd in the boat (I had it in the boat, just not on) and now they want me to come back down from Denver to go to court. Aztec, NM is over 7 hours away from me. Are these people insane?

Furthermore, they have their priorities completely effed up. Here are the possible fines differences between my ticket and RECKLESS DRIVING!

No PFD = $500 and/or 180 days in jail. 

VS.

Reckless Driving = $300 and/or 90 days in jail. 

Something is soooo messed up about that. I'm not trying to belittle the importance of water safety, but for crying out loud,is wearing a pfd more important than stopping people from endangering others with reckless driving? 

But They do have this....

So they have that going for them... which is nice. 

I may be bringing my next post from a jail cell in Aztec. I hope they treat me well. 

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Success

It's great when a plan comes together. After tying ridiculous amount of pike flies, driving 7 hours, and freezing my ass off, we found some pike willing to chase. Congrats to my homie Andy, he caught this New Mexico pike on his third cast of the day. It was a kick ass time.

PS - Wear your pfd in New Mexico, I got a ticket for it on my trip. I had mine in the boat, but I didn't have it on.  They are trying to tell me that I have to drive down to Aztec, NM to appear in court because of it. Stay tuned.
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Let's Get This Party Started

Fly Nation Season 2 Trailer - Lake St. Joseph Gators from Fly Max Films on Vimeo.

I use to do a yearly trip to Northwest Ontario for pike fishing every year. We always caught a lot of fish and I miss going on it dearly. Since moving to Colorado, I dont fish for pike or musky nearly enough. Not that we don't have them, in fact, we have pretty decent fishing for them here. It just never has been the same for me though.

This weekend... that all changes. The clip above, compliments of Fly Max Films, got me pumped for this weekend's festivities. I'm off to the vise... because pike flies don't tie themselves.
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I Guess Winter Is Okay...

Okay.. okay...okay... okay....


So I will give winter a chance. After all, sometimes the clouds will break and the sun will shine. The midges weren't coming off with the clouds like they were suppose to anyways, so it may as well be warm. There might not be any bugs coming off, but the water is warming. As the water warms the trout start to get bitey and the fishing finally goes off. The fishing is good and I am happy. What else can a guy ask for?
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That's What I Am Talking About

Sipping Dry trailer from Sharptail Media on Vimeo.

Sharptail Media did a knock-out job with this new video due out in time for the 2012 Fly Fishing Film Tour (thef3t.com). I cant wait to check out the full version.  

Surface Film

Hey Gang. If you live on the front range, dig fly fishing, dig free beer, dig live music, dig fishing photography and dig on helping Colorado coldwaters...  then I have just the event for you. I attended this event last year and came away thoroughly impressed. "Surface Film" is an event that is held by the Greenbacks of Colorado Trout Unlimited and proceeds of photography sales will go to help Colorado trout habitat.

 But the better question would be that if free beer, fly fishing and good tunage isn't your thing.... what in the hell are you doing reading my blog?

 Please join us on February 2nd, 2012 from 7pm to 11pm to enjoy the flyfishing industry's best photography, as well as live music and drinks.

The Greenbacks of Trout Unlimited are excited to announce the2nd annual Surface Film event showcasing top professional fly-fishing photography from across the country at the Anthology Fine Art gallery on Thursday February 2nd, 2012. Similar to last year’s event, framed prints will be available through a silent auction to benefit Trout Unlimited's work to conserve Colorado's coldwater fisheries and rivers. 

This will be an exclusive preview event, and the gallery will be open to the public February 3rd through the month of February. 

New this year, the show attendees will vote for ‘best-in-show’ honors. The winning photographer will receive the National Trout Unlimited Professional Photo of the Year, a cash prize, and will be prominently featured in a future issue of Trout Magazine. In addition, a second place finisher will also receive a cash prize.

This is a free event. All ages are welcome to attend.

For more info, visit: SurfaceFilm2.com
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Seriously?

Seriously Winter? Where are my dry flies.... for Christ's sakes... where are my streamers?

What are all of these things you call nymphs? Call that that thing whatever you want.... it's still a bobber...

I am damn tired of the snow. Cracking ice out of my guides is for the flippin' birds. I swear, if I have to throw out one more roll cast of a bobber, lead and multiple nymphs... I will projectile vomit. Come on Spring... where the hell are you?
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Doldrums

Sometimes you eat the bar... sometimes the bar eats you... and makes you cut up all of your old reject flies for their hooks and spare materials.

Something like that anyway.....

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Don't Act Like You Have Better Things To Do

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012 | thef3t.com from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Trust me on this. If you go to one fly fishing event this year, go to the Fly Fishing Film Tour. It previews the best fly fishing films of the year and beats the hell out of walking around a fly fishing show or going to some lame TU dinner. 

FLY FISHING INDUSTRY’S LARGEST EVENT EMBARKS ON CONTINENT-WIDE HD TOUR

Adventure film tour showcases global locales while supporting local businesses and filmmakers

(Boulder, CO) –Fly fishing’s most celebrated annual event, the Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), the original and largest event of its kind begins its continent-wide trek January 26th. The traveling spectacle serves as a stage for the best filmmakers in the industry, an avenue for supporting critical conservation groups, an expo for local outfitters, and one heck of a party for growing outdoor enthusiasts and avid anglers alike.

With never-seen footage from across the globe, a party atmosphere, audience giveaways and valuable coupons, the annual high-energy spectacle is the sport’s most anticipated live-event. This year’s tour will make stops in over 125 cities across the U.S. and Canada. Along the way local businesses, conservation groups, filmmakers and fans all stand to benefit from each screening.

This year’s spectacle includes a more diverse set of content than any prior year or any other tour. “We have something for everyone”, says F3T Filmmaker and Road Manager Thad Robison. “From scrappy Steelhead in Kodiak, AK to 100-pound jumping Tarpon in the Florida keys, from places you may have been to destinations we probably couldn’t find on a map if we tried.” Other featured destinations (and fish) include the Bahamas (Bonefish), the Northwest Territories (Grayling and Arctic Char), the jungles of Belize, Scotland, Montana, British Columbia, Wisconsin, Silver Creek, Idaho and more.

With nearly 75% of the shows selling out in advance, the F3T is the fastest growing event of its kind. 

For a tour schedule, film trailers, tickets, photos, info on hosting your own show and much more visit www.theF3T.com. Filmmakers and fisherman are available for interviews upon request and in many cases they serve as emcees and hosts at shows.

Mar-4 / MA  Haverhill

Mar-7 / MI  Midland

Mar-9 / MN  Minneapolis

Mar-10 / PA  Media

Mar-10 / WV  Triadelphia

Mar-11 / WV  Triadelphia

Mar-12 / WI  De Pere

Mar-15 / MI  Ann Arbor

Mar-15 / MT  Livingston

Mar-16 / UT  Ogden

Mar-16 / MI  Grand Rapids

Mar-17 / NY  Lake Placid

Mar-18 / PA  Oakmont

Mar-20 / CA  Larkspur

Mar-20 / OH  Cleveland Heights

Mar-22 / MO  St Louis

Mar-22 / FL  West Palm Beach

Mar-22 / TN  Knoxville

Mar-22 / AK  Anchorage

Mar-22 / CA  Modesto

Mar-27 / TN  Nashville

Mar-28 / CO  Vail/Edwards

Mar-29 / GA  Atlanta

Mar-30 / MT  Great Falls

Mar-30 / CO  Grand Junction

Mar-31 / SC  Charleston - 5:00 PM

Mar-31 / SC  Charleston - 8:00 PM

Apr-3 / FL  Jacksonville

Apr-5 / FL  Tampa

Apr-6 / NC  Asheville

Apr-7 / WV  S. Charleston

Apr-10 / AR  Fayetteville

Apr-12 / CO  Boulder

Apr-12 / TX  Austin

Apr-13 / VT  Middlebury

Apr-18 / CO  Breckenridge

Apr-18 / WI  Milwaukee

Apr-19 / UT  Park City

Apr-20 / ID  Idaho Falls

Apr-20 / ID  Sandpoint

Apr-24 / UT  Logan

Apr-27 / MT  Whitefish

Apr-27 / WY  Laramie

May-2 / IL  Wilmette

May-4 / WA  Ellensburg

May-13 / TX  Forth Worth

May-17 / FL  Orlando

May-19 / WI  Coon Valley

Jun-3 / MI  Boyne Fall

Hip To The Recipe

Every once in a while, I will post something very random and non fly fishing related. This sometimes will be a recipe. This is one of those times.

Pick the crabapples off the tree. Don't pick them off of the ground unless you like worms in your crabapples.

Dont' leave them near the dog. Dogs dig crabapples.

Try to pick ones that aren't too red or too yellow. Somewhere in between gives you a slightly sweet, but tart apple. 

Set up your cutting table. You'll be here a while. Quarter the crabapples

Put the cut up apples and cinnamon sticks into a pot and fill it with enough water to where you can see it, but not enough that the apples start floating. Bring to a boil, then bring it down to a meduim heat simmer for 15 minutes. The apples should turn color. 

Line a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth and strain the juice from the apples. Discard the apples, but put the cinnamon sticks in the juice. 

Pour the juice back into the pan. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that comes to the top.

You have two options here, if you can get the juice up to 230 degrees, then pour in the sugar while stirring vigourasly. Crabapples are naturally high in Pectin, so you normally do not have to add any. 

If you live at altitude, like me, then you probably arent going to be able to get it up to that temp. So get it as hot as you can and stir in sugar. Then bring it to a roiling boil and stir in Pectin (Certo is the brand I use, it can be found at your local grocery) , stir for one minute then pull it off of the heat. 

Pour it into your jars, leaving at least a 1/4 inch of space at the top. Put tops on, put them in a warm bath to seal. Viola'...

Crabapples aren't typically thought about for consumption, but trust me. I have never met someone that doesn't like Cinnamon Crabapple Jelly. Enjoy.

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To Get You Through

Soar "A Time With Tarpon" from Suplee Outdoor Films on Vimeo.

When winter comes calling and my guides ice up... I try to think of tarpon and drinking iced drinks in Key West. But hey... that's just me....

Film By: Capt Kris supleeflyfishing.com
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