These photos are from a week or so ago on a day when I was able to steal away to Oak Creek. It is not often that I fish by myself these days, as I enjoy the company and it makes it much more affordable to split gas to drive to the high country. I did enjoy the solitude though, and I was able to find some of those beautiful Arizona brown trout that occupy Oak Creek. The summer crowds are gone, but the sun only stays in the canyon for a while as the days grow shorter. Fish came on mini-hoppers although a few rising fish were picky and I switched to a small midge dry fly pattern. I do love this canyon and I’m looking forward to spending some more time fly fishing Oak Creek this winter.
It is always cool to see where Arizona Wanderings’ shirts pop up. Many thanks to Mario for sending over this photo after I saw it on Instagram. Thanks for the support Mario.
A few co-workers and I planned a day for some team building at Hunters Creek Club in Metamora, MI. We spent the day with guide Mark June, and his two brittanies, Bubba and Suzy. These dogs are two of the best I’ve ever been around. Their teamwork in the field to hold running birds is absolutely a joy to watch.
For our engineer Mary, it was her first time every hunting birds. She had a great time, and vowed to be back the first chance she gets.
It was a great day in the outdoors, and it was pretty cool that I got to sport my brand new Arizona Wanderings t-shirt.
Saturday was a very fine day of fly fishing in Arizona with a good buddy. With mornings being colder, we started late and were on the water by 9. Fish started coming throughout the day on mini-hoppers and parachute Adams, although bigger streamers did the trick later on in the day. Tough to ask for anything better than a few nice fish, but the bottom brown came about 4 o’clock, slamming a crawdad streamer and fighting the whole way to the net. I sat looking, in utter disbelief, at 20 inches of golden brown.
With snow forecasted in the mountains, I do not think there will be many more days of this kind of fishing this year. Arizona fly fishing never ceases to amaze me.
Brown TroutBrown TroutBrown TroutArizona Brown Trout
Rambling Review – Mountainsmith Day TLS Lumbar Pack
Mountainsmith Day TLS
Why:
As most outdoorsman do, I am constantly tinkering with different bags/vests/ packs that I take into the field in search of that perfect system to carry all the “neccessary” gear for the day. Although I’ve tried and still utalize different bags for different situations, I have been on a lumbar pack kick for the past several months and the Mountainsmith Day TLS is my go-to pack for backcountry hiking and fishing.
Mountainsmith Day TLS + Mountainsmith Strapettes
First impressions:
The strapettes – Probably the number one selling point on the Mountainsmith system is the strapettes. Like most outdoorsman, I cram as much as I possibly can fit into every pocket and crevice of the pack. The thing I hate about most lumbar packs is how much they sag when you start putting weight into them. Mcome with a shoulder strap, but let’s be real, the one strap sucks. Your shoulder gets tired and then you have to switch, never fully achieving a comfortable carry. The Mountainsmith Strapette system fixes that. The Strappettes attach very simply and offer that extra stability for a full jumping rocks on a backcountry creek. (The bummer is that these straps are sold seperately.) The pack is sold with a single shoulder strap.
The material – Mountainsmith has constructed the Day TLS from a really cool material called Reforge. Reforge PET Double Ripstop is 100% recycled from plastic waterbottles. It is awesome to see a company dedicated to reducing their environmental footprint. The Mountainsmith Day TLS is also made with high quality 420d Duramax HD Nylon in the high wear areas to beef it up. It is also tough to find fault with big hefty zippers and tabs.
Mountainsmith Day TLS
The options – Although I have already stated how much I love the Mountainsmith Stapettes, the bag can be carried in a number of different ways. The beefy Airflow waistbelt is plenty to keep the Day TLS secured to your body, or the waistbelt can be tucked away and the Day TLS can be carried like a messanger bag with the shoulder strap.
Mountainsmith Day TLS
Field Use:
I have been using the Day TLS as my primary backcountry fly fishing pack for the past couple of months. I have thrashed it through some gnarly country, dunked it in a cold stream, and loaded it to the max. It can handle it all.
What I like most about this pack is the space. Although it’s just a lumbar pack, I can carry everything I need for a full day in the field, plus emergencies. In the main compartment Ican carry my DSLR camera along with an emergency kit, pistol, a sandwich or two, and the small essentials needed on the stream. The front pocket can fit two large fly boxes although recently I’ve been swapping out one of the fly boxes for a cigar caddy.
The compression strap on the back is nifty enough to fit my felt soles for my Korkers and the straps underneath the pack are the perfect size to stuff a jacket for those cool mornings. There are also two side bottle pouches. I always carry my Katadyn bottle in one and a handful of granola bars in the other. At the end of the day, I’m pretty sure I could survive for a day or two if worse came to worse.
Back Panel Pocket
The one cool little pocket that I have found to have multiple function is the backpanel sleeve pocket. On the Mountainsmith website, they describe it as the perfect place for airline tickets and IDs. I would describe it as the perfect place for a fishing journal and my net. There are also two small pockets on the hipbelt that are perfect for a small fly box, tippet, or any other necessities that you may need quick access to.
Another great feature of the Mountainsmith Day TLS Lumbar Pack is the Delta Compression System. Obviously cinching the waistebelt tight is necessary, but the Delta Compression System allow you to cinch the upper portion of the lumbar pack into the small of your back, creating more stability and a comfortable carry.
Mountainsmith Delta Compression System
You will notice in most of the pictures that I liked this pack so much, I decided it would have the honor of bearing my Fiberglass Manifesto Patch. This pack is going to see plenty of backcountry water for years to come.
I know Mountainsmith wasn’t thinking about a bumbling fly fisherman when they built this pack but, if I was to recommend anything about this pack for future designs, I would love to see the exact same pack in a waterproof or extremely water resistant material. As my fishing buddies can attest, I have taken multiple dunks while trying to get to that perfect position to make a cast. Protecting electronic equipment is a must wether it’s rain or an accidental dunk in the river. What I do as an alternative is to carry a drybag to put my camera in as well as apply a water resistant spray to the fabric. Mountainsmith also sells a raincover for the Day TLS lumbar pack.
Mountainsmith Day TLS
Pros:
Strong Construction
Mountainsmith Strapette Compatible
Plenty of room for the necessities
Different options of how to carry
Delta Compression System
Made from Recycled Material
Comfortable for an all day carry
Price
Cons:
Strapettes sold seperately (I feel that this pack is superior with the strapettes, and for how I like to carry it in the backcountry and on the water, the strapettes are a must have)
Not waterproof
Mountainsmith Day TLS
Prognosis:My opinion is that the Mountainsmith Day TLS Lumbar Pack is a must have for fly fishermen looking for a comfortable way to carry a day’s worth of fishing gear. This is a high quality pack that will see many miles on the creek.
* Disclaimer:
The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no monetary compensation in exchange for this review. The Mountainsmith Day TLS was provided by Mountainsmith for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.
I ventured out alone which is something I have not done in a while. I was in need of a little soul searching anyway, so it worked out just fine. The mornings have been very cold in the canyons as the mid-fall sun only spends a bit of time warming the water. I opted for a later start than usual and showed up on the water about 9, but even then I did not see a fish until about 12. I took my time and pretty soon the catching started to pick up. A few nice fish made it to the net in the afternoon, but I missed the hook set on a bruiser that would have stretched 18 or 19. Most of the fish came on the top, but gone are the days of aggressive, splashy takes. Instead fish are rising and almost slurping the fly out of the film and unless you’re paying attention, you might miss the whole scene. I am hoping to squeeze in a few more trips before the days get too cold and short and I’m stuck in town trying to tease a carp out of an urban pond.
Arizona Brown TroutFly Fishing ArizonaArizona Brown Trout
I am a big fan of Temple Fork Outfitters fly rods but for whatever reason they choose to sell their fly rods without a rod tube. So I have a couple fly rods that share the few store bought tubes that I purchased to protect them. Digging around in the garage the other day I came across a scrapped inch and half piece of PVC and since we are on a bit of a budget, I decided to build my own fly rod tube. My goal was to make a tube that would protect the rod in storage and on the way to and from the creek.
The Essentials
I made a run to the local hardware store and sorted through their limited selection of PVC paraphernalia to find:
1 1/2 inch open female threaded endcap
1 1/2 inch male threaded plug
1 1/2 inch cap
Custom TFO Rod Tube
The fit was fairly snug so I skipped the glue which seemed like overkill. After poking around in the garage some more, I came across my wife’s stash of spray paint that she uses on all of her craft projects. She was not home so I helped myself to a can to give the rod tube a little class.
A little spray paint...
At the end of the day, I spent a little under 3 dollars for the extra pieces of PVC fittings and was able to put together a nice protective fly rod tube which is a much easier justify to the wife than another $30 rod tube. It certainly will not win any beauty pageants, but it will get the job done. A couple of stickers and I am ready to head to the creeks…
DIY Fly Rod Tube
A couple of things to note:
1. The inch and a half PVC barely was able to fit my 3 weight in the rod sock. If you are looking to house a bigger fly rod, you may want to look at 2″ PVC.
2. I also added some foam padding in the end caps of both ends just to soften the blow when (not if) I accidentally drop the rod tube.
Three years ago, I typed my first words into a free wordpress account. In a cliche, it seems so long ago, but also to have passed in only a blink of an eye. Although, Arizona Wanderings started as a personal journal of my fly fishing and hunting adventures here in Arizona, it has grown into something much cooler than I ever could have imagined. I have met some great people, fished in some unbelievable places, and hopefully helped a couple people along the way.
In honor of the three year mark, t-shirts in the Arizona Wanderings Shop will be on sale for the next week. The Original Arizona Wanderings Shirt is on sale for $10 while the I “Fish” and “Quail” AZ shirts are on sale for $12. Pick one up in the Arizona Wanderings Shop while supplies last,
Check out some of my favorite pictures from the past couple years:
Arizona JavelinaArizona WanderingsArizona Mearns QuailArizona Brown TroutArizona Gambel's QuailArizona Brown Trout
I do want to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those who interact on AZW as well as those who have picked up a few flies or a t-shirt. Your support keeps me going. Thanks again.
I recently made a new addition to my hunting and fishing pack – A Rite in the Rain Journal. This blog has been an amazing tool for me to look back and reminisce about where I have fished and hunted. On occasion it has even helped me decide where I would be fishing on a particular weekend. Although the pictures and words remind me a bit about how the day went, it sometimes falls short for a detailed description. I picked up a “Rite in the Rain” Journal to use while in the field in hopes of recording temperatures, weather conditions, hatches, flies that worked, fish that were caught, and all the nitty-gritty that sometimes can get lost from the field to the blog. Here’s to hoping that I can stay consistant and up to date on the new journal.
