Transplants.

Winter is coming again, no doubt about it. We field a few inquiries this time of year about warm salt water options. There comes a time when even guides have a few good ideas. Not often and not many, but good ideas just the same. Two Maine guides that have figured out that shoveling snow and jumping dead batteries in below zero conditions aren't that much fun anymore are Danny Legere and Marshall Demott. They both reside in Florida during the winter months and chase fly eating fish in shorts. How smart is that? Pretty damn smart come the middle of February.

Contact these snow birds for a winter escape this winter.

Winter Plans.

Not that we are done fishing for the season (though the door can slam shut at any moment) we are making plans for the upcoming winter season. The list will continue to grow as the temps drop and the snow pack grows.

Buy the season pass, ice and mix climb more, reorganize the gear room, follow good tele skiers around the hill, backcountry ski with friends, restock whiskey collection, hit the groomed nordic area at least twice a week, solstice party?, inventory, repair and replace guide gear, shoot more photos, winter fish if the stars are aligned, night ski/astronomy combo trip, poach a hot tub, attend at least one fly fishing trade show, hut tour, wax guru/tech for kid's nordic team, do more for the environment and green organizations, sample limited edition micro brews.

Looks like a hell of a winter so far.

Signs.

Well it's happened. Air temperature this morning was 18 above zero. Forecasts for tomorrow are calling for 7"-14" of snow. This amount depends on what panicked stricken weather person you listen to. As for us we are looking forward to a change in color. There are only so many shades of brown and gray one can take.

We took advantage of the calm before the storm today. The puffy, hand warmers and thermos were first in the line up. Iced up guides, frozen line and weak camera batteries ruled until about noon. Two brookies and two salmon were worth all the pain. I would have liked to have gotten a photo of the larger salmon but due to the dying camera and unruly model, it didn't work out. If you've ever tried to take a photo of a large landlock by yourself you know of what I speak.

Nymphing ruled without much effort. Longer leader (10'x 5X), two fly rig. The color blue is coming into it's own, followed by patterns with a little bit of pink. Sizes 14-20. Simple rigs now until closing. Nothing more frustrating than tying a bunch of knots with frozen digits.

Think snow!

Get Down.

We are full blown nymph addicts now until the end of the season. With that affliction comes an assortment of tools. We have used a wide array of products to help get our flies in the zone over the years. Some have been o.k., others have been a disaster.

Most anglers don't give split shot much thought. Just crimp it on the leader and move on. We tend to be a little more picky when it comes to weight. First rule for us is it must be lead free. No excuses. Ease of use ranks high. Both removal and installation. There is nothing more frustrating than resetting shot that slips on tippet.

We have been using Boss Tin products for over six seasons. Consistency and quality of each individual size is always there. Unlike many other manufacturers, Boss Tin shot is spot on with sizes and colors.

We use the following; 4 Way Round, 6 Way Oval and 4 Way Stonze depending on where we happen to be fishing. All these are easily restocked with Split or One Shot refill containers. This is great when you run out of one size constantly.

One item we always have on hand is Make-a-Weight tungsten putty. You can fine tune that nymph rig amazingly well. Take the time to roll it on the tippet. Placing it above shot works great also. Keep it close to your body when fishing a cold day for ease of use. Wicked stuff.

Nymphing is all about being in the trout's zone. Get the lead out and ramp up on this often overlooked, indispensable piece of gear.

Late Season Nymphing.

It's becoming very clear that nymphing is the go to technique lately. Making the most of this productive skill keeps you in the game in this shortened season. Here are a few good habits to get into.

• Cast less. Drift more. Keep your flies in the zone as long as possible. That is possible with a couple of key moves. Reading water three dimensionally helps. Fish that rig as long as possible. The start, the sweet spot and the swing. Twenty feet of drift beats two feet every time.

• Use the tuck cast. A great delivery system cast.
  

• Learn the stack mend. Anticipate drag. Throw those mends BEFORE drag develops. Easy to do. Dirt cheap also.

• Add tippet instead of split shot. Easier and more enjoyable to cast than that conga line of shot. Fluorocarbon 5x is money lately. Supple, strong, stealthy and it sinks.

• Tying on a piece of 18"-24" of red Amnesia running line for the butt of your leader adds a ready made indicator to the system. Great for skinny water and high sticking.

• High stick that rig when it counts. Is the current dragging you're indicator before it gets in the zone? High stick that junk and see if that alleviates the water skiing bobber.

• Use tungsten bead flies. Heavier than standard beads. Would you rather throw split shot or a fly?

• Slow down. Make every cast count. Late season fishing action usually isn't non stop. Cover water thoroughly and move on after you feel you've done your best.
  

• Fly selection. Czech Nymphs 8-16, Pheasant Tails 16-20 with and without flashback, Brassie 18-20, Prince 12-18, Red Disco Midge 18-20, Copper Johns 16-20 in copper, black, red and chartreuse, San Juan Worm 10-18, Rock Worm Caddis 16-18 in nuke green. Pretty simple group. Don't overlook steelhead colors like purple, cerise and blue.

Make nymphing a solid skill that extends your season.

Switch Or Spey?

We have done quite a few spey trips this season. Either teaching basic casts or learning how to effectively fish with a doublehander is always fun for us and clients. One question we field often is "Should I buy a switch or a spey rod"? The answer is what size river and fish are you most likely to be working. If your target fish are trout and landlocked salmon then a switch or light spey are optimal choices.

The next important decision would be what type of fishing do you want to do MOST. Swinging flies, nymphing, streamers or dries can all be done with either rod style. You will sacrifice one technique for another to a certain extent. You can still get the job done with either rod choice, but at what cost to you're enjoyment of being on the river? With as many choices of both spey and switch rods and lines available it's an overwhelming dilemma. Add the cost of entering the game and it's easy to make a costly mistake. Both you're time and money are valuable.

We guided a doublehander trip yesterday. The client's goals were to learn to fish better with a switch rod. We covered nymphing, wet fly swings and sink tips. Hell we even caught a few fish. It wasn't because we're a rock star. It's because the client researched a rod for their intended purpose and found an exact fit. A well played first round.

Spend sometime this winter deciding on what you want out of spey. Give a shout if you're in need of some practical, no B.S. opinions.

Nice November.

These last few weeks have been some of the best all fall. If you like nymphing, sink tips and split shot you are smiling. If you're a dry kind of guy (or gal) it's been really well, dry. Keeping an open mind and a skunk works philosophy certainly contributes to the bent rod.

Nymphing: Edging out the streamer. P.Ts, Copper Johns, Micro Rockworm in sizes 18-22 keep on trucking. Czech Nymphs holding everything down in the zone. Takes can be subtle this time of season. Whether or not to use an indicator is dependent on the clarity, speed and volume. Some places yes. Others naked. High sticking Czech style. Mix it up.

Soft Hackles: Still doing the voodoo that they do. Smaller sizes lately. Try something in a 16 or 18. Let it hang at the end of the swing. Sweep set increasing hook ups.

Streamers: Early morning or dusk. Midday has been slow. Still throwing doubles and dropping down in size. Sizes 8-12 have turned on a few respectable fish. Sink tip dead drift techniques are producing at an agonizing pace. Our patience has been rewarded.

Dry Fly: It's nice to be prepared for rising fish. It's better to take a bite of the reality sandwich and prepare to work subsurface. Having midge and blue wing patterns in the kit for sure. Risers are few and far between.

Get out there before the lock jaw winter bite cometh.

Day In The Life. Part Three.

After finishing the days trip, it's time to hit the road. First thing we do is phone home and give an estimated arrival time. Service isn't always available due to location. The drive can be a simple affair or a moose/deer dodge ball night game. We will check voice mail on the cell, take some Advil if it's been a tough rowing day and then try to find a Sox game for the ride.

Pull in at home anywhere between 6:00-10:00 p.m. Priority is to spend time with my kids. Everything else can wait. After family time, it's back to work. Unpack the truck, clean out the boat, dry out all soft goods if it's been a rain filled day, clean cooler and lunch gear. Prep lunches for the following day. Refill fly boxes. Replace or rebuild leaders and tippets. Replace tippet spools if necessary. Clean lines. We clean our lines every two days or so. It helps performance and line longevity. Disinfect wading gear. Repack for the next trip. Recharge batteries on cell, camera and headlamps.

Check voice mail on the land line. Check emails and respond. Check mail for deposits. Confirm this weeks trips. Download daily camera images. Get online flows and tomorrows weather. If time and energy permits throw a post on this blog. Sleep.

In no way are these posts a complaint on the amount of work involved in a typical day. I'm a Mainer I don't shuck hard work. If you enjoy your work it doesn't feel like work. Sure some days can be frustrating and difficult. Every job has good days and bad ones. The reason for these posts has been to give folks an idea of a typical day for a fly fishing guide. And for the guy I talked with about how great it is to get paid to fish. I hope you noticed how much I fished during the day. Maybe I showed a cast, drift or mend. That was my fishing for the day. I won't say I have never fished during a trip. I will grab a rod if we are having a particularly difficult day breaking the code. I've had some clients insist that I do so. A good guide will fish through you. Others want me to fish along with them. For those I'm very thankful. They are few and are usually long time clients.

The 2011 season was a ton of fun for us. We are already looking forward to next season with more enthusiasm than one would expect. Start making plans now.

Day In The Life. Part Two.

After preparing everything for a day of guiding we finally meet the clients for the day. It's either going to be a return or a new angler. With new folks it's much like a blind date. We have done our preliminary interview so have some kind of an idea of experience, expectations and goals. I'll help rig up rods and inspect reels, lines and leaders. If I have doubts about gear I'll suggest a replacement. I either tie on a new leader or tweak an existing one to match what we are doing that day. We will have a short safety talk and proceed to fish.

For many anglers, fishing out of a drift boat is a new experience. Both bow and stern anglers need to do certain things to be productive. I'll continue to call out shots throughout the day along with suggestions for better drifts or retrieves. I'll tie on flies I know are productive. Sometimes it's one dry. Most of the time it's a dry/nymph combo. We will throw streamers into sexy bank structure for a couple of reasons. The ability to see fish charge a streamer is an image many anglers have never seen. Some of the biggest fish of the day are either seen or caught doing the streamer gig. With this happening we are constantly on the look out for rising fish. This is what most clients are hoping for. Anchoring the boat quietly in good casting position is paramount to an anglers success. Don't blow this dry fly opportunity when it presents itself.

The most important role of a guide in our opinion is teaching. I really want clients to leave with something more than fish in the net. Most folks are visual learners. I'll spend part of the day teaching techniques like the reach cast, mends, rigging, reading water and rise forms. You should always leave a trip with more information than you came with. Whether a new technique, fly pattern selection or a better understanding of the water you fished. We also pick up tons of insight from clients on any given day.

Lunch happens during a lull in the day or when hunger rules. I'll usually prepare a shoreline lunch in a productive wading area so folks can fish while I get the meal ready. Lunch is a pretty important part of the day. It gets everyone recharged and rested for the final rounds. It's when we either catch up on each others lives, get to know more about new guests or just plain chill. We will either wade fish a bit more or continue to float or work another wading area. I like to break up a float with at least one wade aspect per trip.

At this point in the trip we are still looking for heads. What I haven't mentioned yet is what I've done so far throughout the day. Changed rigs at least three or four times. Untangled birds nests. Rowed/positioned the boat for the best angle and speed. Set up anglers for the best shots. Avoided other river users. Netted and released fish. Kept everyone hydrated and full of snacks. Checked for sunscreen needs. If it's cold and raining, making sure everyone is dry and warm. Taken water temps. Spotted fish. Motivated better casts and mends. Applied floatant, split shot and tippet. Kept vigil on water flows, clarity, weather and bug life. Changed flies throughout the day. Identified bird, bug, animal and fauna life. Ducked an errant cast or two. Shot images with the camera. I try to average 20-45 shots per trip. Pulled up the 15-30lb. anchor over a dozen times. There are other tasks done during a trip but I think you get the idea.

The trip ends depending on the time of year and conditions. Closing time is anywhere from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. It all depends on client's wishes, when we start and hatches. One thing we won't do is leave a pod of rising fish before giving them our best shot. Never. Hit the take out, strip the boat, breakdown rods, change out of waders, repack the truck and deliver clients to their vehicle or lodging. Crack a beer possibly, collect remainder of guide fee, exchange cards, check availability for seasonal openings at a later date, check to see if clients have everything they came with, map out areas for them to fish while here, relive the days events. This can last five minutes to an hour. I'm good with it either way. We say our good byes, thank yous and I hit the road.

Think it's over? Nope.

Day In The Life. Part One.

Recently while derigging near a river access, a fellow angler came over with some questions. The tailgate conversation went from fly patterns, techniques to river volume. My new friend asked if I was a guide. I answered that I was. His reply was that it must be an awesome job to fish all season and get paid for it. I chuckled at what his image of guiding entails. I will say it is awesome to guide full time. Fishing and guiding are two completely different animals. This is a sneak peak at the behind the scenes reality of a typical day for us.

Our day starts anywhere from 3:00-5:00 a.m. depending on where and at what time of the season we are guiding. First order of the day. Coffee. Good coffee. Make breakfast and check emails. Multitasking is high art during the peak season. Reply to questions, confirmations and inquires. Call for flow regime if we are working on a dam controlled river. Check USGS flow chart for another view of other waters. Check two weather forecast sites. Grab recharged phone and camera batteries. Start packing the truck. This can be a simple affair or complicated if clients are in need of waders, boots, etc. Pack lunches, snacks and drinks. This is either made by us or picked up on the road from one of the restaurants or cafes we work with throughout the season. Trailer up the boat if it's a float trip. Make a road coffee. Fuel up the truck, buy ice, pick some commute tunes and head to the put in. I am usually at the put in an hour earlier than clients unless I pick up clients en route. Deck the boat out. Rig two client rods with either a streamer set ups or nymph rigs. Stretch lines and rewind carefully. Take a water temp. Set up shuttle with the driver. Refill the java for the last hit. Wader myself up, sunscreen, buff, sun gloves, bug dope and hydrate/snack. If I have time I'll check out the shoreline for any remnants of yesterdays bug du jour. I'll also call future clients to confirm and check in about booked trips before meeting today's guests. A possible call for a lunch order later in the week. A call to a another guide for a report. Finally meet clients at appointed time.

Stay tuned for what's involved when we actually fish.

Olde Tyme.

If you've followed this blog for the last month or so you have read about our love affair with streamer fishing. Whether from the drift boat or wading we get really stoked when the streamer bite is on. As much as we enjoy the streamer gig, it isn't the only game we rely on.

The simple and elegant soft hackle holds a special place in our arsenal. There is something very zen like wading through a run and swinging a couple of soft hackles. The only interruption comes from the unmistakable take. If you've ever fished for salmon you know exactly what we are talking about.

Earlier this week we started with the tried and true streamer rig. After a few flashes and short grabs, it was time for a change. We kept the sink tip on and changed to a longer, lighter leader(3X). On went a size 10 Purple and Starling. Following the P&S was the Orange and Partridge size 14. Three casts later and a nice brookie found it's kryptonite.

Our favorite soft hackles for fall are Partridge and yellow, red, orange, black, hare's ear and chartreuse. Sizes range from 12-14. Starling and purple, orange and red. Size 10. If Baetis are out and about try a Pheasant Tail soft hackle or a Engle's Micro Soft Hackle in sizes 18-20.

Get out and enjoy the last of the season with a couple of soft hackles. Leave the tweed and tie at home. Keep the whiskey in the kit.

Muchas Gracias.

We have one more trip waiting on stand by for the season. After that one we will close out the 2011 guiding season. I wish to thank all of our return friends/clients and all the new faces that showed up to do trips with us this year. We hope to see you back again next season.

A huge thanks goes out to my wife and kids for all their understanding and patience throughout the year. Monique, Finn, Callahan and Huck, you make me one of the luckiest men on the planet. Thank you.

To everyone else out there from guides, shop owners, shuttle drivers, cooks, bartenders, tow truck operators, coffee geeks, dogs, fishing buddies, neighbors and friends. Thanks for all your help this season.

Raising a glass to another successful year on the water. Cheers!