Winter Events.

With the holidays nearly over it's time to focus on upcoming events here in Maine and elsewhere. I'll add more as the winter moves on at it's agonizingly glacial pace.

• Nature photographer John Orcutt has an exhibit at the Carrabassett Valley public library until Jan.10th. You owe it to yourself to see some of these images in person.

• Fish Tales and Cocktails auction at the Sugarloaf Hotel at Sugarloaf on Jan. 14th. All proceeds to Maine Casting For Recovery. Contact Bonnie Holding at 237-2405. Get your pink on.

• The Fly Fishing Show. Jan. 20,21,22 in Marlborough, Ma. This show seems to be getting a little better each season.

• Banff Mountain Film Festival. Feb. 3rd -13th at various locations here in Maine.

• Kingfield First Friday Artwalk. The first Friday of every month. Merchants and galleries showing a wide array of mountain artists.

That's it for now. In the mean time send some snow our way if you could.

To Do List.

We've had folks contact us about trips for the 2012 season they have booked. One question we field is "What can I do to prepare better for my trip"? We could write paragraphs on gear, patterns and lodging. Our first answer is always the same. Practice casting.

It is the crucial skill of this game. Tough day/conditions? It's going to be even tougher when you can't throw when the winds blowing. On any given day we can be throwing fly sizes from 2-20. Can your stroke adjust? Most days fish are caught between 25 and 40 feet. Is that distance doable? You've heard us say "put it in the lane" too many times. How's your accuracy?

Overhead, roll, snap T, shock and the reach cast are in the quiver. Fishing casts catch fish. Period. Find the time to practice a little every week. Better yet, book a tune up with a good instructor. Be ready for that first rise of 2012.

Last Report.

This week marks the end. Temps have turned the corner and lock jaw has set in for real. The fish we have been lucky enough to catch have been lethargic at best. Our personal gauge is an air temp of 40 degrees. Add in water temps in the mid thirties, anchor ice, non existent hatches and you've got marginal conditions at best. Calling it for now, unless things change dramatically.

For the future posts will contain gear reviews, technical information and general guide melon spewage. Let us know if you would like to see anything in particular. Thanks for stopping in.

Happy Holidays.

We're sending everyone this card this year. Enjoy.

Mainer.

There is something to be said about being a native Mainer. Not all good, not all bad. I've known quite a few local characters over the years. One who will never leave my memory is Bob Wagg. I first met Bob as a kid fishing in The Forks. He was a wild man to a impressionable youth. Later when I started guiding whitewater trips I got to know Bob a bit better.

The stories he told about logging, hunting, trapping, fishing and general mayhem in the woods were entertaining to say the least. Treat yourself and your friends to the classic Maine film 'Dead River Rough Cut'. This isn't a regional movie made by Hollywood. It doesn't have those atrocious fake Maine accents that make a Mainer want to puke. No pretty people or B.S. This is the real deal.

I can still see Bob at the rest area on river left in the late afternoon light. A cigarette poised in his mouth, a Bud by his side and an ever present wave of his hand. He was always one of the highlights of a trip for me. Most guests were a bit taken aback by this apparition on the bank. He wasn't included in the brochure. Though he should have been.

Not many made like Bob anymore. Take a step back in time.

Reads For Winter.

Winter is time to catch up on books, magazines and web writing. Here's a list to get started:

• Copper Canyon Press produces some great books of poetry throughout the year. Check'em out.

• 'Cadillac Desert' by Marc Reisner. This will open your eyes to the history of western waters.

• 'Let My People Go Surfing' by Yvon Chouinard. I wish more companies/businesses actually gave half the thought about their environmental responsibility.

• 'To Know A River'. Selected writings of Roderick Haig Brown. Worth rereading some passages every season.

• 'Desert Solitaire' by Edward Abbey. It's time to get a bit more radical with today's issues. This is a start.

• Anything by Jim Harrison. Hard to find anyone who can convey the connection of the outside world.

• 'The Fly Fish Journal'. Quality magazine that balances both words and images equally.

• Catch magazine. Visual eye candy.

Support your locally owned bookstore. Buy local.

Great Trips.

While cleaning out the man cave/gear room this week with Huck, I came across an old slide binder and decided to take a walk down memory lane. One of my finest trips to date remains my last long true fish bum excursion.

In September of 1998 I arrived in Montana with the intention of fishing some old haunts and exploring a few new ones until I ran out of funds. I started in Livingston and fished the Yellowstone for a few days, some small cutthroat streams and a never to be named on the net water. I then moved camp to the Madison for a week. While it was nice to be back to these great areas I was longing for something new.

One of the positives of camping at takeouts or put ins is the amount of info one can garner from anglers and guides. One question to ask any guide is "If you had a couple of days off where would you fish"? Some replied "I can't tell you". That's fair enough. We all should have places that are special or sacred to us. Many more said "The Missouri in Craig". At this time the Missouri wasn't really on the radar compared to today. I headed to Craig a day later.

I arrived in Craig and got some camping/fishing info in town. I felt really comfortable with the size of the river and the vibe of the place. I started with a streamer rig and was into fish almost instantly. This went on for a while before I started noticing all the heads poking up. Baetis were hatching at an impressive rate. I ditched the streamer rod and grabbed the four weight. The day passed by without me noticing. I found what I'd been looking for.

Those days are still a blur. But they went something like this. Get up, eat, rig up, fish streamers or nymphs until the blue wings started, snack, hydrate, fish until dark, make dinner, sleep. Repeat. I lived off Ramen, peanut butter, bagels, tuna, mac & cheese, Powerbars and Schmidt's beer. I fished in sun, rain, sleet, snow and wind. This was my world.

I caught fish that truly amazed me. Backing is something many trout anglers never see. I saw backing alot. My mind's eye still sees those fish I lost in the weed beds. I learned so much in the time I was on that river. Skills that make a huge difference today. Total immersion in any subject produces skills that never leave you.

Twenty seven days later I left and returned to Maine wind burnt, tired, underweight and broke. The perfect trip. I first worried about the future of this wonderful river and the possibility of losing what I had experienced. I don't worry about that so much anymore as it has many more friends since I left. I've gotten what I was looking for on the Missouri. To get an idea of what the Missouri is about check this video out.

Find your inner dirtbag and go.

Smelt.

Looking back on the 2011 season's image bank we came across this shot. Smelt runs are super fun to fish and experience. Throwing large floating smelt patterns with a spey rod for landlocked salmon remains one of the most anticipated events.

The floating smelt collection is very low right now. Time to start the experiment at the skunk works man cave.

The List.

The wish list season has arrived and we've got a few ideas to ponder. One or two of these gifts are sure to put a grin on the receiver's face.

• A gift membership to an environmental organization. NRCM, Maine Rivers and The Nature Conservancy are just a couple to consider.

• A one or two year subscription to The Fly Fish Journal. The best we've seen in a long time.

• The Simms Flask with art work by Derek DeYoung. Filled.

• A Beulah Platinum switch rod in a five or six. Very sweet stick that actually does both styles very well.

• A gift trip with this guy for the 2012 season. Gift wrapping available.

• The last set of pliers you will ever need are an Abel #2. Might as well get the knife combo.
  

• Lodging at one of Maine Huts and Trails huts. Way cool experience.

• Maybe a pound or two of Carrabassett Coffee. Local crew working the bean to new levels.
  

• Plane tickets to Santiago, Chalten, Auckland or Coyhaique. We are available if you need a rod caddy.

As for us, what we do is a gift onto itself. Though that Beulah would be nice....

Blue And Pink.

This past week has seen the turn we've been expecting. Winter flies are first in the line up right now with two colors dominating. Blue and pink. Blue for sunny days, pink for overcast. Combined with the right drift and depth and you've got the gimmee. Some of our favorites include: Lightning Bug, JuJu Midge, Disco Midge and Czech Nymphh in blue. San Jaun Worm, Czech Nymph, Trout Crack and Wired Soft Hackle in pink.

Bobber fishing ruling the roost right now until May. Weak midge hatches happening occasionally. Invest in some hand warmers and post fishing liquid indulgence. That is all. Get back to work you slackers.