Strip’n Flywear Is In The House!

We just got a fresh load of T shirts and hoodies from Strip’n Flywear in the shop.  Never heard of them?  Well, they’re a new micro fly fishing clothing company, but that’s no excuse; they’re local!  Owner and artist Dave Hartman lives and fishes right here in Whitefish!  When Dave’s not printing shirts, he’s hunting Flathead Valley pike, pulling deerhair poppers over the lilly pads and watching those cruise missile wakes honing in on his fly!  And you’ve seen some of his trout fishing videos posted right here on our blog.

Check out his designs at http://www.stripnflywear.com and then come on down to the shop to get some for yourself!

Tippet… Whats the big deal? Just get some cheap tippet and your on the way. Right? You have a great fly rod, nice reel, fly line that floats, waders, boots flies and a 2 year old spool of tippet. Having lots of break offs? Time to upgrade your tippet.
I have used lots of tippets over the years and I’m always on the look out for a small diameter tippet that is strong.

Last year Brandon Prince, Trout Hunter sales rep, gave me a bunch of Trout Hunter Tippet to use. First impressions…..

1-Great Name, deep down inside we all want to think we are trout hunters!
2-Packaging, UV protection while it sits on the shelf.
3-Interlocking spools, A must.
4-1/2 sizes? Really? Genius!!!!

Lets get to the point…..I have guided with Trout Hunter Tippet for over a year now and it’s my go to tippet. Why?

Trout Hunter tippet knots exceptionally well. Double Surgeons, Blood Knots and Improved Clinches all cinch down nice and tight. I believe this is due to a slightly harder coating on the tippet. The harder coating seems to allow a lubed knot to slide tight with out generating as much heat. Heat? What heat? Any amount of friction causes heat and can break down the tippet and reduce breaking strength. I find that if a tippet is to supple it tends to break easier at the knot. I believe this is due to the heat generated when the softer material bites into its self when the knot tightens.

How about breaking strength? Over that last year I have noticed that I am seeing a lot fewer break offs since I started using Trout Hunter tippet. I attribute that to better knot strength and stronger tippet material. My suspicions were confirmed by George Anderson’s 2012 Tippet Shoot Out. Trout Hunter Tippet, on average is much stronger than the competition. Lets give Trout Hunter some props for winning the 2012 Tippet Shoot Out! Here is a link to Georg’s Shoot out. It’s a great read, if your a tippet nerd like myself! http://www.flyfisherman.com/2012/05/07/2012-tippet-shootout/

Having a tough day on the river? Fishing over fish and they are not eating? You have done 5 bug changes and still no eats! Making me crazy again! What to do? Tippet down man! Afraid to go to 5x or 6x? How about 4.5x or 5.5x? Trout Hunter has tippets in half sizes. Genius! Sound like a gimmick, right? It makes all the sense in the world to have half sizes. Why not just tippet down a full size you ask? You get as much breaking strength as you can get away with! I’ll take an extra pound or two when ever I can.

So what more could you ask for from your tippet? I’m not sure. I have tons of confidence in Trout Hunter tippet material. Grab my gear bag and dig around, you will find spools of it in the tippet pocket and on the end of my leaders!

We just acquired a great selection of Bronze Grade Full Saddles. We have a bunch of Grizzly, Grizzly Brown, Duns in various shades, Orange Grizzly and an amazing Orange Grizzly. Full Bronze/Silver Saddles for $43? Great deal, get them while we have them!

Sweet!!!

Fly fisherman are always looking for gadgets and new ways to spend money on things that we really dont need. Nippers, how many different kinds of nippers are there on the market? 100′s? How about the old finger nail clipper for $1.99? A few months ago Abel Reels released a $50 pair of nippers. The nippers are anodized in various colors and hold a pair of super sharp jaws. Are these nippers worth $50?

About 4 months ago I purchased a pair of olive green nippers and was very skeptical. When they arrived I was very happy with the looks of them. Good color, sharp blades, good texture and a lanyard loop. These nippers are just the perfect size to put in your pocket and forget about them until you watch them fall in the river. So I immediately made a fly line lanyard and put them around my neck.

Sharp And Polished Jaws

Now I was looking for the biggest piece of mono that I could find. 60lb should be a good test. The mono slid easily between the jaws and with a little pressure they were slicing mono like a hot knife through butter. I use my nippers every day and and have cut hundreds of lines, tippets and leaders and have no complaints. From 60lb to 6X these guys are money! These little nippers definitely make my life a little easier. My nippers are around my neck at all times ready for action.

If $50 sounds a little steep for nippers, dont loose them you will never need to buy another pair of nippers. If the jaws dull within the first 2 years send them back to Abel and they will replace them. If you need a new pair of nippers check these guys out, the last pair of nippers you will buy.

With summer just around the corner it’s time for the Floatant Shoot Out! There are 100′s of products out there and some work better than others. As guides we are always looking for a floatant that keeps our flies  high and dry all day long, here are our favorites that we carry in the shop.

Old School

I go through 50 tins of Mucilin and these little green lids show up all over the place. Thames Fishing Tackle Company of Redditch, England  has had the English and other dry  fly fishing purists using Mucilin for over 30 years. There are two types of Mucilin, one with a red lid and one with a green lid. The red can works great for silk fly lines and the green can is what you want for flies and modern PVC fly lines. When you open the can you will notice a circular pad that you can use to clean and condition your fly line. As a floatant Mucilin is my favorite and I use it on every dry fly I fish. Rub your fingers in the paste and then rub it on your bug and it will float for a long time. Reapplying after every fish will keep your fly floating until it  falls apart. One problem with Mucilin is that when it gets warm it has a tendency to melt and will leak out of the can. Easy fix, put it in a zip lock bag or one of the small circular fly cups from your local fly shop.

Serious?

We have a great new floatant in the shop called Fly-Agra. I was a little skeptical at first but I really like this product, now it has a place in my gear bag. Just open the container, dip your fly in the liquid for a few seconds, give it a false cast or two and moments later your back in the game. It does a great job on small delicate flies that typically get matted down with silicon and does equally as well on big foam bugs. Fly-Agra will have your fly up for hours and will not let you down. There is a warning on the jar that should be taken seriously, If your fly stays up for more than 4 hours, consult your local Pro Shop. Thats right if your fly is floating for 4 hours we need to get you some different flies and catching more fish! Fly-Agra gets the gear bag vote of approval!

High and Dry!

Loon makes a premium  floatant called Aquel. Aquel is a great all around floatant that is in lots of guides gear bags. Aquel maintains it’s viscosity no matter the temperature outside. When it’s hopper time and warm out Aquel is still thick and not running all over the place. In the winter it is not frozen solid in the bottle. I use Aquel in the middle of winter during that freak chance that fish are eating midges on top. Justin uses Aquel exclusively and gave me some great insight on this product. He said that his flies ride higher and longer and if he drops the bottle on the ground the bright yellow cap makes it easy to find.

The Original

Gink hit the market about 15 years ago and changed how we looked at dry flies. All of a sudden flies would float after a fish ate it, just reapply and get that fly back in the water. Gink also maintains it’s viscosity in temperature changes but not as good as Aquel. With that said lots of guides swear by Gink and use it religiously.

Shake It Up

All this silicone floatant works great on everything but CDC, so what is a dry fly to do if it has any CDC? Powder Shakes are where it’s at! I have used lots of shakes and now I only use one. Orvis makes my favorite shake,Hy-Float, and is not very expensive. Drop your CDC bug in the container, loosely close the lid and give it a shake. The desiccant powder coats the materials and keeps water from penetrating your dry fly. Is your CDC soggy and not floating anymore? Put it in the container and shake it up and your back in the game again. Looking for a good touch on emerger nymphs? Shake em up with Hy Flote and your emergers will be encased in micro-bubbles just like naturals.

Looking for a little more? Rub some Mucilin on that bug and soak it in a bottle of Fly-Agra, now you have a fly that will never sink! The liquid in the Fly-Agra seems to drive the Mucilin into the fly making it float better than any one product above.

It’s spring time and we all are catching up on the chores that we postponed this last fall. Sunny day, it’s warm out, just got done fishing for the day and now it’s time to for that raft cleaning I have postponed for the last 7 months. Thankfully I had the foresight to put my raft in a warm and clean cabin for the winter so it was not exposed to the cold and snow. With that said I probably should have given it a good cleaning but here I am cleaning the S.S. Wasabi on a beautiful day wearing shorts and flops!

Dirty Boat!!!

There are three things important to cleaning that dirty raft of yours. Super Clean, 303 Aerospace Protectant and a Shop Vac. Start with the Shop Vac and suck out all the pine needles that filled your boat last fall. If you have a separate bladder for the floor unzip it and vacuum out the bottom of the bladder, it probably has a bunch of dirt and debris in it. Be careful when you zip the floor back up you dont want to ruin that zipper. If the zipper is giving you some problems dont force things, just rub a soapy sponge on the zipper and your back in business.

Bladder Exposed And Ready For A Vacum

Big Purple Bottle

Now pour some Super Clean in a bucket and dilute it with some water, about 16 parts water to 1 part Super Clean. That translates to about a 5 second pour of Super Clean to about 2 gallons of water. Sponge it on your raft and give it a few minutes to soak into the stains.  Super Clean is a great cleaner but can be harsh on your hands. Put on a pair of rubber gloves or your hands will pay the price. Super Clean paired with a Scoth Pad will remove those stubborn frame stains, shoe sole stains and general boat funk with no problem. After your boat is cleaned to your liking rinse it off with clean cold water and give it one more sponging off with soap and water. This will remove any left over cleaner that could damage the boat if left on to long.

303 Ready To Protect Your Stuff!!1

After using Super Clean you might want to give your boat a conditioner and protectant. 303 Aerospace Protectant is another great product for you rubber boat. It’s basically a hand creme and sunscreen for you boat.It’s the best protectant for rubber boats hands down with  a SPF of 40 it  keeps you boat looking new and clean. If you want your boat to last and look good buy a bottle or two and rub your boat down every month!

Nice Clean Boat Ready To Rock And Roll!!!

A few days ago I got home pretty late and found a pleasant surprise on my front door, a brand new XL Black  Simms Guide Windstopper Jacket! I pulled apart  the box and frantically ripped open the plastic bag to get to my new jacket. I put it on and went straight for the mirror, who says looks dont matter?  When I got to the mirror my suspicions were confirmed, A Big Goofy Guide In A Nice Jacket.

Simms Guide WindStopper Jacket

Yesterday was a classic spring day and I put my new jacket to the test! The day started chilly and only got worse as the day progressed. Around noon a pretty intense squall rolled through and things got crazy for about an hour. Lots of heavy wet snow and rain tried to make me uncomfortable but the Guide Windstopper Jacket did not falter. I pulled the hood over my head and waited for everything to pass. I stayed very comfortable and dry as a bone.

Simms has made this jacket bombproof, two way stretch Windstopper Fleece with some extra reinforcement in high wear areas. I really like the stretch the jacket gives you when you move, no rigid stiff uncomfortable  jacket here. Windstopper does an amazing job at cutting through cold winds = Keeps you warmer than a thicker jacket.

Micro Pilling Interior

The interior of the jacket is lofty with a checkered pattern does a great job holding in heat. The cuffs adjust quickly and easily with a velcro tab. Simms did a great job on the hood, removable with a cinch strap at the back of your head. I like the removable feature of the hood as the jacket also works great as a layer under your rain jacket. No more double hooding it with this jacket. Pair this jacket with Simms Goretex Guide Jacket and you have the ultimate layering system. Two zippered chest pockets, two hand warmer pockets, with two more interior pockets will give you plenty of room for your gear.

Working as a fishing guide, fishing in every condition imaginable  I am always keeping an eye out for a great jacket. Look no more, The Guide WindStopper Jacket is one bad ass jacket.

Working out of a drift boat I am always trying to keep my gear dry. Wet boxes, wet flies, wet camera and other gear is not a fun time. I have had a few boat bags in the past but they have always left me wanting more. Busted zippers, torn welds in the plastic and just plain junk. Sage builds great rods but boat bags? A few months ago my girlfriend gave me a present, a brand new Sage Typhoon boat bag. Really? Wow! It was time to retire my old boat bag, I guess she was tired of hearing me complain about it. The Typhoon is pretty big, 1930 cubic inches, and comes in a great grey/olive color. I picked the bag up by it’s padded shoulder strap and unzipped the main compartment. An adjustable/removable divider will keep your gear organized. Two side pockets holds tons of tippet, leaders and split shot. The lid has two separate zippered compartments, one that you can access from the top and one from the underside of the lid. Also the lid has a flap that you can use to secure the lid without using the zipper. Looking to organize your flies? One side of the bag for dries and the other side for nymphs sound good? Now you have no excuse, this bag will get you organized. Divide the bag in half and you are in the game. 4 10.5×7 inch Plano boxes fit perfectly on your dry fly side. Thats a baetis adult box, baetis emerger box, pmd box and a midge box. Need more? Well now lets talk about the nymph side. Midge box, pink box, stone box, egg box (that’s right egg box), worm box, mayfly box, pt box, emerger box and hair’s ear box. I could go on and on but they all fit.

Nice and organized, how long will that last?

This past weekend I fished that Clark Fork for 3 days, 2 of the days it rained pretty hard. The bottom of my boat had water in it and I was eager to put Sage’s Typhoon Boat Bag on the firing line. There are rubber pegs on the bottom of the bag that keep it out of the water and the water proof bottom did not let any water in for 2 days. The lid folds fits over the main compartment perfectly, no water dripping on your stuff.

You can use the flap for a handle or to secure the lid

Getting in and out of the bag is a breeze. Unzip the main compartment at the beginning of the day, now forget about the zipper. The lid has a flap on it that you can secure to the lid with magnets. now you have a great handle to open your bag with. To secure the lid just pull the flap over and tuck it in the compartment in the face of the bag. Voila your bag is secure and will not open, even upside down.

The flap holds strong, even upside down.

More features you say? There are two sturdy handles on the sides of the bag, grab and go. The shoulder strap is comfortable and can be secured out of the way behind the bag. Adjusting the strap is easy and fast, no fussing here.

The strap is out of the way behind the bag

A top has a large piece of velcro that holds a fly patch and a tool patch. What is a tool patch you ask? It’s a patch that has a spot for your zinger, hemo’s, floatant and split shot.

Simms Typhoon Boat Bag has room for a gear and fly patch

On the front of the bag near the bottom is another pocket that I like for my mono master, sunglass cleaning cloth and empty plastic fly cups.

I have had the Typhoon boat bag for 3 months and have not had as problem and I’m very happy with it. If you are looking for a great boat bag come in and check out Sage’s Typhoon boat bag.

Locked and loaded, ready for action.

Mr Heater Buddy is as essential as dry fly floatant. Can you throw dries with out it? Yup. Will those dries float better with it? Yup! I love sleeping in the back of my truck when I go fishing but it can get pretty cold in the winter, fall and spring. I spent a few years in the Army had a Ranger tab and I know how to live in the cold. But my life changed the first time I used Mr Heater Buddy. It was early March, 20 degrees at night, snowing with a high of 38 in the day time. Not all that cold but still cold enough, what a great time to go buy one and give him a try.

The unit is pretty compact and easy to use. It runs on 1 pound propane cans but can be converted to run off a 20lb tank as well. Screw in the can, give the knob a turn, push down to light the pilot and you have heat. It’s that easy! Instantly I could feel the heat and in about 10 minutes it was 90 degrees in the back of my truck and 25 on the outside! I was able to take my socks off, dry my feet out and break that chill in my bones. A one pound can will last for a long time since you only use it 10-15 minutes a time. I’m using the same can for the last month and it was 1/2 full when I started. It will change your thoughts of winter truck camping and take the edge off after a long cold day of fishing.

Great end of the day foot warming session

With that said this unit commands respect and should be used with care. It has a ceramic heating unit that glows red from the flame in front of it. USE EXTREME CAUTION AROUND MR HEATER BUDDY! Keep you sleeping bag away from it or anything else that will catch on fire. I also I did not lock my back window from the inside just in case something caught on fire. Dont be turned off by these warnings, just be careful. Justin and a few other guys have been using these units for years and have never had a problem with it.

Tater loves the Mr Heater Buddy.

It’s spring time and the weather is variable, cold one day and warm the next. Those cold snowy days are going to be your best fishing, midges and bwo’s but who wants to sleep in the truck when it’s freezing outside. Mr Heater Buddy is your savior on those cold nights.