50-50.

Tomorrow's forecast is calling for 7 to 11 inches of snow. Higher amounts in the mountains(no %$#@!). With that forecast, this is what my mind continually spews:

Ski? Fish? Ski? Fish? Ski? Fish? Ski? Fish? Ski? Fish? Ski? Fish?

I can see a game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' breaking out in the a.m.

Opening Day Art

Friday is Opening Day. If you are in the Sugarloaf area, be sure to stop in downtown Kingfield for the monthly Art Walk. The School House Gallery will host a showing of watercolor flies by Eustis artist Marguerite Robichaux. Celebrate opening day with a new print.

Not a bad way to end a day of fishing or skiing.

Soul Man.

One skill we have acquired over the years is the ability to repair and rebuild gear in the field and back home.Everything from broken skis/bindings, blown tent zippers, persnickety camp stoves and of course footwear. Tele boots to wading boots have all succumbed to mileage issues. These Patagonia Riverwalkers are no different. These boots have seen two professional resoles and are on their last season. We may as well help them die an honorable death on the river than in some landfill.

Before we start, we understand Maine will probably have a felt ban within a few years at the very least. We have already invested into one rubber soled boot and will be testing another in the following months.Each pair of these Riverwalkers are dedicated to one section of river and have been for six seasons. They will see only those waters this season. We saw first hand the effects of invasive species years ago and took action way before it was on the radar here.

To repair a sole delamination first determine if the boot is worth saving. If the mid sole is worn and angled at the toe area it's a lost cause. If the sole is separating from the boot at the welt, you may want to see a cobbler. After deciding it's worth your time, start the process by cleaning the sole with a toothbrush. Use a mild soap. Next sand both the felt and the boot with a medium grit sandpaper. Take extra care to remove any old glue. This will pay off with a better bond.

After all your prep work is done, dampen the felt with water using a sponge or a fine mist sprayer. We have been using waterproof Gorilla Glue for a few seasons with very good results. Use a small stiff brush to apply the glue completely over the exposed area.

This is the fun part. Start closing up the gap using duct or gorilla tape. Don't just wrap it up willy nilly. Take your time and use smaller strips of tape to bind the sole to the boot. Don't worry about overflow. Once you've taped the boots let them sit for about twenty four hours before removal. Room temp will help in curing the glue.

After you've removed the tape you should notice a little overflow on the sides of the boots. This is a good thing to see. To remove the excess glue start by scraping of the bigger pieces. I use an old metal ski wax scrapper. To finish lightly sand the remaining glue of with a medium to light sand paper until almost all of the glue is gone. Don't be too aggressive with the paper. Having a seal around the welt and felt is a good thing.

This technique will work in the field if needed, though it can be difficult under tough circumstances. ie; three days of rain in a tent camp. Don't use Gorilla Glue for rubber soles. Try Miracle Glue instead. Remember prep is everything. Having an oil can in the tool kit always helps.

April Events.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Winter is loosening it's kung foo death grip a little each day. Soon images like these will be a reality and not a hypothermia induced thought.

• I stopped into Fly Fishing Only yesterday. Their retirement sale is still going on but by the end of April it will be over. Do yourself a favor and stop in. Can't make it? They will ship it to you. Need "miserable to tie little flies"? New line? Advice? Last chance.
  

• FFIM will be holding another short film festival. The two films featured are Red Gold and Eastern Rises. Located at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick on April 12th. Great food and barley pop selection. If these two films don't get you psyched for the upcoming season take up golf or scrap booking.

• Spring skiing is NOW! Whether back country, Nordic or downhill, get the goods while it lasts.

• The Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop will be hosting their annual expo April 2nd. Test drive rods. Talk to industry reps. Door prizes. Eat free hot dogs!

• In case you've been living under a rock, April 1st is Opening Day on most Maine waters. Consulate your current law book for more details.

Get out there and enjoy early spring/mud season!

Full Wallet.

"I want you to go in that bag and find my wallet"

Jules from 'Pulp Fiction'.

One spring chore for us is the "make the leader wallet full" task. It will have a great selection of what we need for the early part of season. Rio VersiLeaders in medium to extra fast sink rate, right angle and Czech nymph leaders are crammed next to streamer rigs. One leader we always have on hand is the basic 9'x3X hand tie. It's a versatile formula to have. You can add tippet down to 5x or cut back for a floating line streamer rig. Either way you eliminate carrying four or five different sized leaders.
This is the formula using Rio Power Flex:

• 36"-.021
• 16"-.019
• 12"-.017
• 6"-.015
• 6"-.013
• 6"-0X
• 6"-2X
• 6"-3X
  
• Tie in only six inches of 3X. This will give you a good starting point to either add or subtract length/tippet size.

We use this formula for a beginning caster or when we desire a stiffer leader. Using Maxima Chameleon for the butt and mid section helps transfer turn over. Maxima Ultra Green or Power Flex for tippet.

• 36"-.020
• 16"-.017
• 12"-.015
• 12"-.013
• 12"-.010
• 6"-2X
• 6"-3X

Throw in a tippet gauge and a nail knot tool to complete the kit. Try a hand tie for yourself this season. You just might be surprised with the performance.

Midge List.

Tie, buy and stock them. Midges will be making a presence this spring no matter what the conditions. Lakes, ponds, rivers and small streams all have them. Older patterns have saved my sorry butt more times than I care to remember. Keep it simple to start with. You will undoubtedly add more patterns as the quest for the perfect fly never ends.

• Dry Patterns: Griffith's Gnat, sizes 14-22. Renegade, sizes 16-20. These two old school patterns are responsible for a large number of fish throughout the season. Never leave home without some Parachute Adams, sizes 18-24 tied with a hot post. These three simple patterns produce both here and everywhere else I've fished a midge hatch.

• Nymph Patterns: Disco Midge, sizes 18-22 in red and pearl. Three Dollar Dip in 18-20 in brown, red and olive. Zebra Midge, sizes 16-20, black and brown. All are easy to tie so you don't feel bad losing a few now and then.

• Emerger Patterns: RS-2 Emerger (low wing), 18-24 in black,dun and olive. Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle 20-22. Red Ass 18-20.

At one time I dreaded the midge hatch. After some tutelage and many more miles under my boots I've changed my view on small flies. I've learned to look forward to them more and more. If you get a chance check out Midge Man for some great patterns and insight on the itty bitty junk.

Technical Problems!

As a card carrying Luddite I've about had it with the amount of tech issues we have experienced in the last week or so. Sorry for the lack of posts. There's a new machine in the very new future. Until then I'm getting ready to go Cactus Ed on my current machine. Stay tuned and pass the buck shot. Thanks.

Wader Funk.

We just finished repairing and reconditioning the last of the client waders this weekend. One thing we pride ourselves on is the quality of client gear we have in stock. Having Simms waders in the line up diminishes allot of stress about durability and dependability. I bought my first pair of Simms waders when neoprene was state of the art in wading. I then moved up to their first Gore Tex breathable pair. They were dark brown, light weight and failed miserably. Anyone remember those? Simms made it right and I have never looked back. I've used other brands but none has compared with the quality, fit and longevity of Simms.

All waders were washed in cold water and a gentle powder detergent. They were then treated with Revivex. This treatment is time consuming but well worth the effort. I use about one bottle per wader. When the neoprene booties were dry I Aqua Sealed any wear spots and cuts. For more detailed info on wader repair go the Simms video library.

The better you treat your gear the better it treats you. At the very least wash them for the sake of your fishing partner.

April Options.

"April is a promise that May is bound to keep."

Hal Borland

April is around the corner and with it the official start of the season. Emails and phone calls are increasing with bookings, questions and general fishing b.s. We get many inquiries about availability and expectations for the upcoming month. April is by no means prime time and is very condition dependant. It's not a total wash out at times either. Saying that we have compiled a list of April offerings.

• April is not the time for "never fly fished before anglers". Odds are stacked against the novice this month. Learning to cast an indicator,shot and multiple nymphs can easily turn off a beginning angler.

• Casting Lessons: This is the place to start. Get a jump on the season with an introduction or tune up. Learning solid casting skills will save you time. Having a good casting stroke early in your career means not having to break bad habits later on. As guides we see casting faults throughout the season (ours included). Some can be fixed quickly, others have taken years to develop. Those old habits are addicting. Break them now or better yet don't get one.

• Spey Casting Lessons: We offer a simple half day introduction to spey casting. Spey gear is a pretty big commitment. By test driving a few rods and learning a few casts you'll know if it's something for you. These casts are not limited to two hands either.

• Nymph Trips: No we aren't hosting a trip to strip clubs in Quebec (those were last month). Great time of the year to learn this essential skill. Tying/making rigs. Casting. Fly selection. Reading water. Mends. Tricks. All covered. Save some frustration.

• Entomology Class: Done river side. Bugs, bugs and more bugs. Figuring out what, where and why fish are eating will increase that wet net syndrome. A half day event with all sample tools provided. Beginner oriented.
  

• River Clean Ups: Unfortunately we will be doing this one once again. Sponsored by idiots who throw their trash everywhere. We do this numerous times next month. There will be no catch and release practiced on this trip. Care to join us? It's free!

• Full and half day wade trips are available, again depending on conditions. Small streams/ice out events can happen quickly as we witnessed last season. If you are a Sugarloaf skier start thinking of a carve and cast trip.

All of the above are better than shoveling snow. Though I wouldn't take the shovel out of the truck till mid May.

Streamer Leaders.

Early season fishing is right around the corner. Nymphing will be the weapon of choice. Streamers will be on the bench until water temps warm up. Most anglers don't concern themselves with leaders for streamers. We didn't either until we failed to catch fish due to the wrong swimming action. This is what we came up with at the skunk works shop.

• Standard Sink Tip: 3'x 0X-3X. This is as simple as it gets. Conditions and fly size dictate a switch. Fluoroflex or Power Flex from Rio.
  

• Dirty Water: 16"-24" of clarity. 18"-28" of Maxima Ultra Green or Rio Max. 0X-1X.

• Bank Banging (float or wade). .017 x 20", .015"x 18". Knot the two pieces together with a blood knot.We use Maxima Ultra Green. This is a great leader to throw into structure. Snags, strainers and bushy banks hold fish. Get it in there. Get it out.

• Clear, Spooky Water: This is for an intermediate tip. 5'-6' of Fluoro 2X tapered to a 3X-4X tippet.
  

• Double Streamer Rig: 24"-36"of 0X. Tie on 12" of 2X. Place a split shot above the knot. Tie on a streamer. Tie on another streamer 12" to 16"(2-3X) onto the bend of the first fly. Experiment with sizes and shot until you break the code.

Conditions change. When they do, so should your delivery system.

Stone Age.

"And it stoned me to my soul"

Van Morrison


Stoneflies will take the top position in the nymph rig line up for awhile. Sizes 2-10. Kaufmann's in black and brown. Beadheads and old school style. Rubber legs optional also. The weight and broad shape make sluggish fish take notice. Drop a smaller nymph below it and you're styling. Something bright and small. Copper John? Brassie? Egg? You pick.

As much as we would like to fish for risers next month, nymphing will be the special of the day. Breaking that standard nymphing rut increases your hook up rate. Change is the mantra in running a nymph rig. The weight and indicator are only in temporary placements. Think below the surface in 3D.

Try the no indicator style with this pattern. It's large and heavy enough to drift in the current unencumbered by an indicator. This will allow you to "feel" the drift. Keep a short leash with this style. We call it fishing at your feet for a reason. Don't worry about missing the strike. Takes aren't exactly light with this fly.