Wild Places

Wild places live few and far between.

You, no doubt, traveling on iron wheels and wings

can find one tomorrow before the sun touches the trees.

Praise accessibility.

Curse it’s ease.

Search the dark spaces for glowing eyes.

Wash your forehead in icy falls and streams.

Get lost in stars not yet silenced by your home street,

And let the trees grow wild.

Let the waters run cool and clean.

Admire the beast that live in wild places,

For beast we too can be.


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If I had done an entry for the Outdoor Blogger Network's Trout Unlimited summer essay contest for a trip to Tongass National Forest, it would have gone something like that.

Pimping the Driftless Area and their fishermen

Remember that line from that Beatles song, "All you need is blog love"? That's what this post is all about.

I'm biased towards the Driftless Area. Let's just get that on the table from the start. I grew up there and had my first trout fishing experiences on the Whitewater and Root River in Southeast Minnesota. As such, it is not surprising that I hold a special place in my heart for all things trout from that area. Today I'm bringing you back to a page I've shared before. The Winona Fly Factory. Justin was, and still is, the only other blogger I've fished with.

After a brief hiatus from blogging, Justin is back in full force with stream reports, awesome flies, pictures, and even video.

Okay, let me back up for a second. Are you reading/watching this and simultaneously googling ("googling" is a verb now, get over it) "Driftless Area?" Justin shared a cool video that does a great job of sharing what it is all about.

Now that you're caught up, there are new things on the horizon for Winona Fly Factory. I give to you, the W. F. F. Fly Shop. I would particularly like to draw your attention to the Pink Squirrels and the Hair Balls. I've fished with each of these and done very well. If you see a Sprinkle Me Baby on there in the future, do yourself a fave .... (I can't believe I wrote "fave." I mean FAVOR. "fave" is not a word...) and get some. He has great skill at the vise and these flies catch fish and hold up wonderfully. You can even see the man at work in The Factory in this recent video.

The rumor is, there are other things in the works for The Winona Fly Factory. He wouldn't key me in on them, but I'm thinking they are pretty sweet. 

So go forth, and check out the page or start planning your trip to the Driftless Area. You won't be disappointed. 

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There are many other notable blogs from the Driftless Area that are worth checking out:

The Frugal Fisherman

Fishing N' Forgetting

St Paul Fly

Fishing and Thinking in Minnesota

The Barbless Angler

The Driftless Chronicles

The Catching Chronicles of Trout Magee

And I'm sure there are much more. As always, you can find these and other blogs at The Outdoor Blogger Network's Blogger Directory.

I heard somewhere January was fire month....

And what a month it is. The Unlucky Hunter has been going all Carrie on the month of January burning everything in sight.

That really was a pretty dress.
But she went a little overboard on the red makeup.

It is rather fitting as January tends to be chilly.

I, with about 30 other bloggers, was lucky enough to get a pack of Lightload Outdoor Towels from a recent OBN give away.  The free swag we accumulate from being involved in this outdoor online community is pretty amazing (see here, and here, and here), and these towels are really no different.

They look and feel like repurposed operating room towels. Very clever if you ask me as these tend to be extremely cheap since they are often bought in bulk to be used once, saturated in blood, and thrown away. However, you don't have to saturate yours in blood, but if you do, you don't have to throw it away. As they say on the package, you can use it as a diaper, towel, pot-holder, and (here's where we come full circle) a fire starter. And if you don't burn it, you can wash it and use it again.

Sara and I used ours when we went running the other night. After soaking up the sweat, I kept it in my pocket while doing some night fishing in the rain. I was nice to have to pad down my glasses and even the gopro plastic lens. I don't know if I'd recommend as a camera lens cloth. I could see how it would be scratchy.

I let the rag dry out overnight, and this evening, tested the fire starting theory.  It worked like a gasoline soaked gem. Sara and I had some fun with the photos :)

comes in a nice,  palm size, water resistant package

It seems a bit odd as a disc shaped sponge.
I think it is working. 

Oh, I see, it unfolds.

Wow, that's a nice towel.

It really gets in there and dries your face. 

It's okay towel, you'll be fine. I promise....

It lit without hesitation.

Happy Fire Month!!!!

Coffee Talk...

I'll give you a topic:

Last night, I went out for an hour and a half to try and catch a dinner. Mama Holman, did you hear that? I went for the specific purpose of bringing fish back for dinner. Just so you know, I typically let all the fish go. Mostly because it is work to clean them and I have plenty of food in the fridge.

This isn't a post about my thoughts on catch and release. This is a post about license fees. Since Labor Day, I have noticed a lot of commercial fisherman placing gill nets off shore, and last night, there was a 300 foot net about 50-100 feet in front of the jetty I was fishing. Now I don't know all the rules about how close you can be to jetties and site specific regulations, but it seemed pretty close to me. Therefore, I looked up the regulations this morning. It turns out, it may be too close (I read something about no closer than 300ft to a bridge or jetty), but that wasn't what got me thinking.

I pay $17.50 for a saltwater license as a resident of the state of Virginia.

A Virginia resident commercial license is $190. The license fee for one reccreational, 300ft gill net is $9.00 and $24 for one commercial gill net between 600-1200ft. 

I am supportive of responsible commercial fishing, just as I am in favor of responsible farming for corn or cattle or watermelons. I was simply interested in the prices of commercial vs recreational licenses. Is $190 + $24.00 a fair price to be able to harvest fish with a gill net? Given the relative pressure that a commercial fisherman can place on fish populations versus a single recreational fisherman, is that cost an appropriate proportional increase?

local net fisherman pulling up the catch

Okay, don't get verklempt.  Talk amongst yourselves...

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Oh, and did you hear? OBN's B-day this week. Lots of opportunities to win outdoor gear to review. 

Head on over and see what happens. 

Things of an Owlie Nature

I love getting mail. Let me rephrase that. I love getting pertinent, enjoyable mail. Opening a letter from friend or family is always fun. Opening a package is even more exciting. Especially when you are not sure what is inside.

I came in 2nd place in the Rise Fishing Giveaway contest help by Owl Jones. Yesterday, I found a package leaning against my door, waiting for me to come home.

Inside I found a new Morell magnetic fly box, about 15 hand tied flies made by none other than Owl Jones himself (guaranteed to catch fish), a beautiful brook trout pin, a retracting tool holder, and a fancy Rise Fishing Co. decal sticker.

Other Owl related items. Mr. Jones is working on a Fly Fishing Across America trip this summer. What I like most about it (besides wishing it was me going on the journey) is that he is trying to connect with other outdoor bloggers along the way. There already is an OBN summer rendezvous scheduled and I believe his plan is to stop by that as well. Since this is Owl Jones we are talking about, he will be filming the entire thing. I am imagining an epic hour long movie showing us the fun and beauty of fly fishing in state after state.

Anyway, I'm supporting this trip, in writing and with a small monetary donation (money should never stand in the way of a dream. It is a real world reality, but a silly one). I'm posting a link on the side of my page, an Owl Jones one and hope you have a moment to check him out. As he says, at the very least, he is entertaining.

Gear Review: Montana Fly Company River Camo Tying Tools

As mentioned before, I got my package of goodies from Montana Fly Company (MFC) earlier this February. I've been biding my time, waiting for the right moment to bust these bad boys out.

Over the past few weeks, I've begun planning an early April trip to fish the Big Horn River in Montana. How could this get any better? Armed with MFC's double ceramic tipped bobbin, all-purpose scissors, stacker, and fly box (all with MFC's signature River Camo designs) as well as three varieties of tying thread, I was ready to begin stocking up my basic flies for the trip. After some online research, I decided I would start with scuds to get the ball rolling. I had a free afternoon earlier this week and got started.

Let me just get this out of the way; I am confident that the quality of my flies, in no way, reflects the quality of MFC's equipment. So go easy on me.

Right off the bat, I could tell the difference between my generic, bottom-of-the-barrel, bobbin and the MFC bobbin. The MFC thread rolled off the bobbin easily and slid nicely on the ceramic tips. It had a very natural weight in my hand allowing a novice like myself to feel more confident at the vice. And just like anything else, confidence when trying something new is HUGE.

I tied a variety of scuds. Orange, grey, silver, peacock, with and with out beads. After looking at some examples online, I think I should have used a bit more dubbing to really get those thick, hairy legs on the underside of the hook shank, but they might be fine. The MFC thread is definitely high quality. I have only used a couple other brand names, but I think the 8/0 (orange), 6/0 (brown), and 3/0 (black) I was sent held up beautifully. No break-offs, shredding, or knot issues. I tied all size 14 hooks. Might be a tad on the big side, but only time will tell.

After tying 7 scuds, I was done. All I needed was someplace to store them. Fancy that! MFC sent me a River Camo Aluminum Fly Box with a Brown Trout pattern. Needless to say, my scuds looked great in the box that resembles the fish I am aiming to catch.

Today, I had another Cornhusker Fly Fisher's tie-in. I dedicated the time to midge pupa's and Griffith's gnats. The scissors got plenty of use today, and, just like the bobbin, I was suprised at how comfortable the felt in my hand. Great weight. Flashy design. Sharp as can be. And, the serrated edge on the all-purpose scissors did every job I asked of it and did it well. 6 Griffiths and 7 midges later, I was spent. My box was filling up. This was also when I noticed a venting system in on the sides of the box to prevent your flies from being completely locked in with their moisture should you forget to set them out after a day on the water. Touche, MFC.

With regard to the hair stacker, made of what I think is cast aluminum and colored with a Rainbow Trout River Camo design, I didn't actually tie any flies with it, but I did give it a go. A cork-padded base saved my bench from getting dinged up when I slammed the hair down. The top half easily slides off to allow easy pick up of your deer or, in my case, moose hair. If I were tying a deer hair caddis, this baby would have done the job beautifully.

Overall, there are three important things I believe these Montana Fly Company products offer the consumer:

1. The tying materials and equipment are all high quality.

2. The signature River Camo is a gorgeous reminder of what you are working towards. On hard days, every little bit helps to keep the goal in mind.

3. This is a company made by people who love the same things we do. Dependable equipment and successful fishing. This is by far, the most important to me.

I personally like to have a latch or locking system on my fly boxes, just in case, but this box closes snuggly, so I'm not worried about me doing something stupid. Plus, MFC does have locking fly boxes as well (scroll down and check out all the designs! they are pretty awesome.). As for the equipment, I almost feel guilty to have such good stuff to work with from now on. I feel like I haven't paid my dues to have such sturdy tools. I know I will be using them for a long time and they will hold up. I can just tell.

As a quick reminder, the Outdoor Blogger Network (OBN) facilitates opportunities to review various types of donated outdoor equipment. Montana Fly Company gave three bloggers the opportunity to use and review a package of their equipment. I have no disclosures regarding financial interests with MFC or OBN. My review is my own opinion and based off my personal experience with the equipment. The photos were taken by yours truly.

*Thank you MFC for the goodies, OBN for the opportunity, and Vampire Weekend and Kanye West for my tying tunes.

The goodies are in!

Remember back when Montana Fly Company teamed up with OBN for a an awesome gear opportunity? (I know, happened more than once, and will probably happen again. The crowd at MFC are very generous.) Well, I was fortunate enough to be selected to try out the goods and give my thoughts. In yesterday's mail, the goods came. And man, are they good.

Pictured above are MFC's double ceramic tipped bobbin, all-purpose scissors, stacker, and fly box (all with their signature, stunning River Camo) as well as three varieties of tying thread.

Now, I happen to be a bit busy this coming week, so I'm calling this my "planning week." I have a trip in April to the Big Horn River in Montana and I'll need to fill the box, best I can, with the basics for that trip.

I've settled on BWOs, scuds, and midges. Now I need recipes. If you have any suggestions on sizes, or variations in color for the scuds, I'd love to hear the suggestions.

After the planning, I'll get to tying and give you all my official review including more details on the equipment.

My first impression is pretty straight forward: This is high quality tying gear with a stunning design that reminds you what you are working towards.

Talk soon.

Big Horn River in April

So, the idea has been floated. A trip is in the works. Big Horn River in April, here we come. I looked at the hatch chart, and, to no surprise, it looks like midges, blue winged olives, and scuds are the main dish. That being said, I will have to start giving my best shot at tying these bad boys.

Speaking of fly tying.... Guess who just won a re-draw of an OBN gear review give-away?! Well, not John Boehner (Though, that is what I look like when I'm overwhelmed with emotion). ME! Yup! I am gonna get some goodies and try to tie you something pretty. Hopefully it will also be functional. I will fill you in more on that as the time comes. Thanks to Montana Fly Company!

*Tear* Adios!

OBN Photo Prompt: Favorite Outdoor Places

I will start with the place. My parent's cabin on Cedar Lake, Mn. It isn't isolated in the wilderness. It simply is a beautiful place with great fishing and has been a place where I've made awesome memories over the years.

That being said... Like many of you, I assume, it is really hard for me to come up with an all-time favorite place. This is partly because I am quite indecisive, and secondly, I am very nostalgic. I really feel the memories attached some of my favorite places. In fact, I think I enjoy the thought of where/who I was at the time in life while at those places. When I was 19, my best friend and I drove from Minnesota to Wyoming and Montana to backpack, and I found some beautiful streams and caught a few brookies on our way up to Cloud Peak. I don't have any pictures of it. But I love the memory most because of what we were doing at the time. We were kids with a summer off, no responsibilities, and had the wilderness to ourselves. I've had similar experiences in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area or while I lived in Scotland for a few months.

I might also be hesitant to commit to something right now because tomorrow I will be finding out if I am moving away from Nebraska. Maybe I worry that committing to one place will set me up for disappointment because I could be moving farther away from it. That could be part of it. If tomorrow, I can decide what my true favorite outdoor place is, I will let you know.

To be even less decisive, my favorite outdoor places are most outdoor places, so long as I am either doing something I love or with good company.

*Epiphany: maybe I haven't found my favorite outdoor place yet. Or maybe it will be the way I am with movies, my favorite movies seem to rotate and expand over time. Anyone else feel like they are in the same boat?

That's My Blog's Name.

Since joining the Outdoor Blogger Network, I've been propelled into an online community of bloggers that are more creative than I can imagine. It is awesome. I am quickly realizing the beauty of the OBN blog prompts. This helps us all stay fresh and continue to contribute to our online passion catalogs.

That being said, the latest of the prompts has us telling secrets and swapping lies of our past and shedding light on the roots of our names. Blog names for some. Contrary to the AWESOME song by the Ting Tings, "That's Not My Name," My Leaky Waders is my blog's name. Listen to the song; it rocks. (nice semi-colon, huh?)

Now, like many others, the name of my blog is not shrouded in mystery. It is pretty darn obvious that I am the proud owner of a pair of 10-year-old waders that have seams like the US-Canada boarder (I actually have no idea regarding the status of our boarder to the North, but am instead reaching for humor) and material with sieve-like properties that rival my dismal college hockey statistics.

These bad boys are easily filled with 2-3 liters of water after an afternoon in the Nebraska lakes I've been fishing lately. Why do I keep them? I'm cheap. It's more wet than cold. I'm poor. I haven't fished enough in the last couple years to justify new ones. And I'm cheap.

I came up with the name while on a night shift in the ER this past summer, and it stuck with me. I am, indeed, cursed with optimism, and this also seemed like a general theme for me. Things never go perfectly or as planned. Waders are not meant to last forever, and they will leak. All of them. I'm positive of it. That being said, it doesn't have to ruin the day or the outing. I am choosing to embrace it.

Still, I do have my eye on the exact pair I am waiting to purchase. I'm hoping a coupon comes in the mail soon, to help me out. Or I find an extra $100 in the mail. *hint hint* To send money to me in the mail, ask for my address.

cheers!

Wish list for 2011

The crew at OBN has a point. With the new year approaching, it is worth while thinking about what I would like to accomplish this year with regard to my fishing pursuits. As such, I have come up with a list of ten things I am looking forward to .... tackling... *ah-thankyou*... during 2011.

So here is THE OUTDOOR LIST:

1. Truly understand the spey verses one-handed debate.

2. Fly fish Minnesota's Driftless area.

3. Fly fish during an explosive hatch.

4. Be more like Phil Dunfee: "I'm a cool dad, that's my thang. I'm hip, I surf the web, I text. LOL: laugh out loud, OMG: oh my god, WTF: why the face."

5. Tie flies to match a hatch.

6. Blog 2 poems per month (minimum).

7. Organize/create my tying bench.

8. Take better pictures of my fishing outings.

9. During intern year, when I have a chance to fish, spend that time with my wife instead. Not every time, but at least once :) Sorry, Sara.

10. No matter where I match for residency, find some local fishing.

Here's to a good year, Phil.