Arizona Wanderings

Rambling Review – Cortland 444 Classic – Clear Creek Fly Line

September 20th, 2012

6 Comments

Rambling Review – Cortland 444 Classic Clear Creek Fly line

Why:

In Arizona, most of the fishing that I enjoy is small streams. Many of the waters that flow from the mountains are step-across creeks, which require stealth and accuracy when casting. Having a fly line that can stand up to the abuses of a gnarly little stream as well as delivering pinpoint casts to pie plate sized pocket water is critical. I have been fishing the Cortland 444 Classic Clear Creek fly line on my 3 weight for the past 6 months and have come to appreciate the versatility of this fly line.

First impressions:

The dimensions – The 444 Classic fly line is a product that has stood the test of time. The Clear Creek line has a 4 foot long tip in front of the taper which Cortland states “helps put the body of the line further from the target, resulting in a softer, more precise delivery of the fly.”

The color – Mute Olive (love this color for small stream fishing)

No welded loop – The no welded loop was a bit of a bummer for me. I am the ultimate consumer and want it all done for me. It’s a very simple fix to rig up your own loop, but personally I would have liked it already built in. (Note: Since obtaining this line, all Cortland 444 line will have dual super-fused loops)

Field Use:

I spread the love of the Cortland Clear Creek line to two different rods over the past several months. The bulk of the action was seen on my TFO Finesse 3 weight which has a medium-medium/fast action. Coupled with the Finesse, the Cortland 444 line was a dream. Short distances to mid range casts were not a problem and on the rare occasions where I can lay out 45 feet of line while fishing a glassy pool on an Arizona creek, the Cortland 444 Clear Creek lays very soft.

I also tried the Cortland 444 on my 2/3 weight fiberglass pack rod while fishing the Andelle and Heronchelle in Normandy, France. I felt like this line really did the trick on these slower chalkstreams, and I was grateful for the opportunity to fish this line on such a different type of water. The Cortland 444 Classic Clear Creek line turned a long 12 foot leader over with ease.

Bottom line – I am rough on fly line. Small stream fishing means that I am casting into tight spots, stepping on line, casting over rocks. Fly line is a critical piece of gear that is often the last thing that I think about and care for in the field, but this Cortland line looks rock solid after a hard summer of fishing. I like the way it casts, and in my opinion, at $60, this is a great fly line.

Pros:

Time-tested 444 Classic design

Mute Olive Color

Responsive castability

Durability

Moderate price tag

Cons:

No welded loop

Prognosis: Choosing fly line can be a daunting task. Choose a time tested fly line and check out the Cortland 444 Classic Clear 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 compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review. The Cortland 444 Classic Clear Creek Fly Line was provided by Cortland 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.

Arizona Fly Fishing – Mogollon Rim

September 17th, 2012

13 Comments

It still is difficult for friends, and especially my wife, to fully grasp the reasons that I get up so early on Saturday mornings to hike my way back into some creek on the off chance I will have a shot at a nice fish. Luckily, I have fishing friends who have the same compulsions that I do. So my buddy Zach and I found ourselves on the brink of a canyon at daybreak, rigging up our fly rods for just such a chance at a couple of good fish.

The water was a bit on the cloudy side, but we found a few wild rainbows who were willing to play. I was more than happy to find the healthy rainbow above on the end of my line, and had resigned myself to the thought that it would be my good fish of the day. We continued to work to the top of the creek and each pulled several 6-8 inch spunky rainbows out of the creek.

While working our way back down the creek to the hike out, I worked a streamer through a deep pool. On my second retrieve through the pool, the line went taut and the surface of the water exploded with a red streak. After a short fight, Zach was able to put a net under him, and I gazed down at the beautiful fish.

The healthy rainbow had taken the big gray streamer that I had tied up the previous weekend. It looks like I’ll be needing a name for this ugly fly. Fly fishing in Arizona never ceases to amaze me.

Book Report: Bows on the Little Delta

September 13th, 2012

2 Comments

The Bows on the Little Delta by Glenn St. Charles is arguably one of my favorite collection of hunting stories. The book chronicles the hunting trips of Glenn and his hunting partners Dick Bolding, Keith Clemmons, Fred Bear, and others as they explore hunting in Alaska with traditional archery equipment in the late 50s and early 60s. tasty699 nude angie The stories are accentuated by the awesome black and white photography that shows the rugged backdrop that the stories take place in. Although most of the stories take place in Alaska, there are several other chapters dedicated to the hunters meeting back up and hunting in other locations in North America. The stories are captivating and it is truly amazing to hear how these guys were in such virgin county hunting with their stickbows. This book is well worth the read, and one that I am glad is on my shelf, so I can read it over and over again.

Tying Flies

September 10th, 2012

9 Comments

It was a slow weekend here at the Smith household and I enjoyed the opportunity to sit and replenish some of the empty spots in my fly boxes. I picked up a really nice Wheatley Box as a souvenir while I was fishing in France and it sits patiently while I try to figure what to fill it with. I imagine some traditional dries would look nice neatly tucked into the little metal box. There is nothing like a new fly box to get the fly tying juices flowing.

In anticipation of the hopper bit dying down, I started to tie up some heavy streamer flies. While digging through one of my drawers I came across a bag of marabou feathers from the turkey that I shot with my bow last year. The gray streamers above were tied up using those particular feathers and I hope that I can move a few big browns with these flies in the upcoming trips.

Lastly, I have a couple brand new empty fly boxes that are looking lonely, so I started tying some of my favorite patterns to fill them with. Once they get filled up, I’ll put them up in the Arizona Wanderings Shop to see if anyone is interested in buying an already filled box. One way of the other, it keeps me busy tying new flies and testing patterns on the water.

Old Pueblo Chapter of Trout Unlimited

September 6th, 2012

11 Comments

I had a really unique opportunity last night to speak to the Old Pueblo Chapter of Trout Unlimited down in Tucson. Now, as a junior high teacher, I am used to waxing eloquently on topics of history and government in front of 12 and 13 year olds, but talking to a group of adults is always a bit nerve-racking for me. The kind folks at OPCTU were very generous and polite to listen as I talked about the urban fishing opportunities in Phoenix, along with different techniques, tackle, and fly choice. I felt very welcome to be there and enjoyed chatting with different members before and after the meeting. It is always fun to talk about something that I am passionate about and even better when my audience is just as interested.

Many thanks to the Old Pueblo Chapter of Trout Unlimited and for Steve Reiter for inviting me down to Tucson and giving me such a warm welcome. I look forward to visiting again. For any of you that I met and talked to, please feel free to contact me if you are ever looking to get out for some urban fly fishing in the Valley.

Arizona Fly Fishing: The White Mountains

September 3rd, 2012

19 Comments

Labor Day weekend in Arizona can be a crazy time in the high country. It seems that everyone packs the tents and campers and head north to get out of the valley heat. Fishing on the Rim can be downright crowded and unproductive with the holiday weekend traffic so my buddy, Antonio, and I looked for other options. After weighing some of our options, we decided to head to the White Mountains and fish one of the creeks there.

The drive up through the desert and the pines took us through some of the most beautiful country in the state. The truck bounced over the last couple of washboard miles and we pulled up to one of the prettiest pieces of water. We rigged up our fly rods, and with high hopes we fished our way upstream. The water we fished was pristine and fishy, but were surprised with the very few number of fish that we saw and caught. After lunch and a long break we hit the water again and with the benefit of a clouding sky, we caught a few fish. Antonio caught a beautiful colored brown that posed for the picture below.

Labor Day Weekend signals the beginning of the end of summer. It brings with it the hope of cooler temperatures and a reminder to get out the shotgun and start thinking about hunting birds. A day in the mountains exploring a new creek with a buddy was a great way to spend the holiday. I’m looking forward to heading back and putting some more time on this water.

Rambling Review – Katadyn MyBottle Purifier

August 30th, 2012

7 Comments

Rambling Review – Katadyn MyBottle Purifier

Why:

Staying hydrated is arguably the most important aspect of backcountry fly fishing in Arizona. Carrying enough water to stay hydrated for 12 hours on the stream can be borderline backbreaking, and if you are solely relying on carrying purified water, you run the risk of running out of drinkable water on the hike out, this, if you don’t have a premium bottled water supplier. My good buddy Antonio turned me on to the Katadyn MyBottle Purifier and I have found it to be one of the most essential pieces of gear that I carry while fly fishing.

First impressions:

Dimensions – The Katadyn MyBottle is 10 inches tall and fits in most backpack/fanny-pack water bottle holders. Empty, the bottle weighs about 8 ounces

Capacity – After cartridge displacement, the MyBottle holds 24 ounces of water.

Field Use:

I have exclusively used the Katadyn MyBottle Purifier for the past year for all of my small stream fly fishing. The concept behind it is pretty simple. Unscrew the cap. Dip and fill the bottle. Put the cap back on and drink. What I really like about the bottle is that I can leave it empty right up until I want a drink. This leaves me carrying much less weight in my pack. When I am ready to head out of wherever I am at, I fill up and have plenty of water for the hike back to the truck.

The model that I have has the full ViruStat Filter. I have drank many gallons through the Katadyn MyBottle and been completely fine. But here is what the Katadayn website says:

“Katadyn MyBottle personal water purification systems utilize a multi-stage, modular system. At the heart
of the system is the ViruStat® microbial purification cartridge. The ViruStat® uses iodide resin to kill
99.9999% of waterborne bacteria, including Klebsiella terrigena, and 99.99% of viruses, such as
Poliovirus type 1 and Rotavirus Strain SA-11…”

At the end of every trip, I completely disassemble the water bottle and filter to let them air-dry. This is recommended by the manufacturer to extend the life of the filter and bottle as well as keeping the whole system from getting a funky smell.

The only negative thing that I can say about the Katadyn MyBottle Purifier is how tough it was in the beginning to get water out of it. At the beginning I could get water out but not without a ton of squeezing, but once the bottle and filter were broken in, it flowed much easier.

Pros:

Lightweight (it’s glorious not having to pack in all the water you’re going to drink)

Ice-cold clean water

Convenience

Cons:

Bottle took some time to “break in”/difficult to squeeze and get water

Prognosis: The Katadyn MyBottle is one of my necessities that I take into the backcountry and well worth the investment.

* 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 compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for 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.

Fly Fishing Gear: My small stream essentials

August 27th, 2012

3 Comments

What is in my small stream fly fishing pack?

It is always interesting to see what other fly fishermen deem as “must haves” in their pack or vest. I have been getting quite a few questions over the past few months about the gear that I pack in to some of the backcountry spots that I fish. I thought it would be interesting to look at what is in my pockets and pack and give a detailed list of all the things that I just have to have while fishing the small streams of Arizona.

I usually ditch the vest and chest pack when fishing my usual stomping grounds. Most of the time I am wet wading in a pair of cargo short and everything that I need to have close to hand goes into my pockets. I use a small daypack for all of the heavier things that I like to have while hiking and fishing in some of the more remote streams.

These things are always in my pockets or on my person:

Camera – Taking photos to remember and share my experiences is half the fun of getting outside
Hemostats – I like the kind with the scissors on them because they are more functional and cut down on the need for nippers
Gink – I love the dry fly and like to see it floating high.
Fly Box – no brainer
3x and 5x Tippet – Whether I am using a braided leader or an old beat up leader butt section, I usually run a foot and a half of 3x tied to two feet of 5x. It’s what I’ve always done and it works.
Sunglasses/Hat – These two are “must haves” for me. Sunglasses protect my eyes and the polarization give me a bit of an edge when trying to spot fish. A hat is a no-brainer in our sunny state.

Most everything else I have found to be non-essential, and these items ultimately make their way into the backpack. The daypack is nothing special but holds a couple of key things for those just in case circumstances:

Long-sleeved shirt, hoodie, or rain jacket – Once the sun ducks behind the canyon walls, Arizona can get chilly. We also have some crazy storms that sneak up on you during monsoon season. Better to be prepared than to wish you had something warmer
Water – My good friend turned me onto the Katadyn water bottle/filter. Lightweight and great for the backcountry
Food – I love to eat. Typically a sandwich, apple, and a couple granola bars find their way into the pack
Toilet Paper – You never know…
Net – I don’t care how small the stream is, I always take the net. Every time I left the net in the truck with the thought of “this creek’s too small for a net” I always need a net for that big fish. I attach the net using a small magnet contraption.
Possibles Bag – My possibles bag is a small nylon bag that goes in whatever pack I’m using that day. It is my “what-if” bag and without going into a ton of detail, it contains things like water purification tablets, first aid kit, fire starting material, space blanket, and other odds and ends for those just in case circumstances I hope never to find myself in.
Pistol – About a year ago, I had a situation were I would have felt alot better if I had been armed. In my opinion, a firearm is a last resort tool, but I would rather carry it in my pack and never need it, as opposed to not bringing it and wish I had. I do not carry it on streams where I am not walking far, but any time I venture farther back into the backcountry, I make sure it is in my pack.

All of these items end up keeping my load pretty light for a day on a small stream. What’s in your pack?