Change...

In paddling around for some late evening bass last night, I couldn't help but notice the increasing numbers of migrating birds choosing to spend the night with my line sided friends...It looks like fall is finally knocking on the door friends...


Here's to a Fall filled with good weather, good fishing, and good friends...

Quote of the Week...

"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."

-Unknown

No Clue whats up with the cats lately...

Michigan Update

While I'm not doing the long hour thing, or cleaning my house, or playing with Finn...

I'm trying to stock the boxes...

Thought we'd share some of the fun...

A "Wiggle" Stone...

Stone With Legs

Hex Nymph...third try...

Different Looking Egg...some experimentation...

And of course the ever popular PM Caddis...

Far from perfect, and many flaws...but we ran out of posting ideas for the night...

Super excited for the trip...

Fly Fishing - Wii Edition

Looks like we may have to make a review soon...


FULL ARTICLE

Anthony Bourdain - Montana

1/5

2/5

3/5 - Fly Fishing/Jim Harrison

4/5 - Jim Harrison

5/5 - Jim Harrison...

Quote Of The Week...Late Edition...

“There's no such thing as soy milk. It's soy juice.”

-Lewis Black


LONG ASS WEEK...In the last 96 hours, I've gone from working 12 hours on second shift (6pm-6am), Been to Philadelphia, and then to Connecticut, then to Northampton, MA, and made the trek back to the house tonight. It's been a long one...with no fishing...

More posts coming in the days ahead...

Political Views Aside...RANT

No matter how you may have voted, this type of press really lights me up...

"It should surprise no one that President Obama is a wretched fly fisherman, as he cannot bowl and shows only a minimum of competence at golfing. Were it not for his basketball skills, he might be considered the least athletic American president since LBJ, whose idea of physical exertion was hurling empty beer cans out of his convertible as he drove around the Texas Hill Country."


This WENCH has the audacity to blast our Commander & Chief for attempting to learn a great sport, and for getting out of the office & spotlight to do it...(yes, not matter how we voted, he won and is still our country's leader, who deserves respect for holding the position that he does).

What kind of trophy shot was she looking for?! And how long would the poor trout been kept out of the water so that every lens could get their portrait?!

Another Piece...

"Still, one has to wonder: if a president will not allow TV cameras to record an unsuccessful fly-fishing venture, might there be more crucial information he's keeping from the public? How terribly ironic that the president who promised to bring transparency and accountability to the White House has cloaked the most innocent of sporting activities in a Nixonian veil of secrecy."

HONESTLY?! The guy takes a break from the cameras to learn a good roll cast and gets crucified for it?! Not to mention the fact that any good self respecting guide would've requested no press or camera's in his honey hole...and FYI - HE WASN'T IN THE WHITE HOUSE!

To top it all off, she's taking pot shots at the sport itself...

"This past weekend, the president tried his hand at fishing in Montana -- a lovely place to learn this incredibly simple sport in which a string with a hook at the end is dragged though water in order to attract fish."

Really?! Is it that fucking simple?! WOW...and here I've been for the past few years trying to figure out why in the world fly fishing is so dam hard and frustrating sometimes...maybe I’m making this way too difficult. perhaps I don't need my hatch charts, log books, or thermometers...maybe if I just keep my "string" in the water, and "drag" the "hook" to "attract fish", I'll catch more fish...

What an unintelligent, uninformed, moron...

So I ask you readers...with trashy writing like this taking a stab at a potential fly fishing convert...What would EVER make him want to pick up a fly rod again?! And the reason I ask this is that we may have just lost a great ambassador for the sport. Someone who would stand up to dams out west...Someone who doesn't care what promises mining companies make...Someone who's willing to spend for cleaner water...The list of problems that haunt our waters goes on…

I hope for my sake, my future children’s sake, as well as us as a fly flinging community, that Obama picks up a fly rod again. I hope that he's able to look past this type of criticism, dismissing it for the petty lack of journalism and lousy writers that plague of our media outlets.

I hope I’m the first to say it...Fuck you Sara K. Smith!

You can bet that this Trashy, no good, dirty, horseshit reporter has now gotten moved to the "dumb bitch" list for just awful reporting, and even worse, trying to minimalize a sport in which we all consider to be not just a hobby, but a way of life...

HER ENTIRE, SHIT FILLED, DUMB, LAZY, NO GOOD ARTICLE HERE

I'm putting myself on timeout now...

Our Representative From Chagrin River Outfitters

Found on MoldyChum, a video of Matt Hynes from our own CRO...Doing some if his Alaska West Summer Job...Wins a bet where the looser has to down a Coho Sprem Sac...FULL POST

He's the one in orange with the paper towels, despite what the post says...

And Happy Monday to you also!

Bassing...

So despite making a few trips this summer, I haven't posted much on the bassing...

For some reason, the ponds I frequest seem to be a bit off this summer. There's been alot of alge/weeds in them, and the bass don't seem to be sitting in the usual spots...however some blind casting can generally yeild some fish...mostly small...

After about April, I fish strictly top water, which I know limits my catch at times, but makes the strikes alot more fun...

This guy was a tad larger, and put a decent bend in the rod tonight...

One thing that slow fishing allows me is time to explore a small cove behind some local tennis courts...

Finn's been pretty happy when I've returned the last few times...

Spare time now is spent getting ready for Amy to come home (Labor Day), fishing, and TYING FOR MICHIGAN SALMON...

Quote Of The Week...

In a drunken stuper, my father asks me...

"Do you know what the difference between Jägermeister and a Jäger-Bomb?!...RED-BULL"

Though we can't blame him, since he was celebrating his thrid hole in one last night with the guys afterwards...

Score!

Had To Post It...

HEY JUSTIN...Put in a good word for us...

News of the President's visit to the Vinyard...

Pretty interesting take on why fish would provide more of an economic boost then the President's visit...

READ HERE...

Project Healing Waters...

I know many of the readers are some how involved, but I thought I'd pass along a good article for those who've not heard about it...

"Retired Navy Captain, Ed Nicholson, dreamed up the program in 2004, while recuperating from an operation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. Nicholson observed the soldiers suffering from both physical and emotional wounds with little to do while they recuperated. An avid fly fisherman, he engaged a couple fellow patients in fly tying and casting lessons and Project Healing Waters was born. The Federation of Fly Fishermen and the National Chapter of Trout Unlimited willingly jumped on board and 16 chapters of the program were quickly established. Fly fishing clubs and tackle shops across the country have donated funds and equipment to keep the program running and what started with one veteran’s effort now has more than 70 chapters throughout the United States. "

Full article here... (Berthoud Recorder)

Thanks to all of the people involved...

Super Sonic Flies...

That you won't see in your local fly shop...

"'Nobody’s going to take a chance on throwing it in the water and snagging it on a tree,' Nolte said of the flies he sells for $175 each."

Full NYT article here...good read on somewhat of a lost art...

hmmm...new fly rod or a fly....

My Orvis Plug...

Not something I normally do, but some items to point out from Orvis...

Fishing Reports...
-Some rivers, but can be a good jumping off point for the traveling fisherman...

Dog Photo Contest (Could be on a cover)...
-For those of us who treat our canines like first born children, start going through old photos.



If you do decide to send any or would like to share, please send some along to themadtrouter@gmail.com

post done...

Quote of the Week...

All literary men are Red Sox fans - to be a Yankee fan in a literate society is to endanger your life.

-John Cheever

Lets hope there's something in the tank still...Go Sox...

Update on "Pebble Pedalers"

“Our Dad raised us fly-fishing and we’d always hear about California rivers and how great they once were before the salmon runs were destroyed. In Alaska, you still have an untouched working ecosystem right at your doorstep. It’s unsurpassed for wild salmon. Why would you possibly consider jeopardizing it?”

Thanks to Schmidt for sending the update...full article HERE

Also, be sure to check out Mike's updated site...http://www.anglerschoiceflies.com/

Some killer photography, and more importantly, some killer flies...

And We're Back...

Maine 2009....

Finally, after missing my first year, i made the pilgrimage North again...

Pictures to do the talking...

Finn's drive was uneventful....

At one point, he was helping Jimmy look for chicks on 495 in Massachusetts...

And then we hit MAINE...

Andrew feeding his long lost friend "Chip"..."Dale" seemed to have dissapeared this year...

Finn got a bit jealous of Chip....

We got Finn onto his first hike up North...even onto some ladder trails...

Various Mackerel Flies...

Amy & Finn @ Otter Point...

Two staples...Blueberry Beer from the Mid Atlantic Brewing Company & Lobster

Sunset from the camp...

Amy & Finn exploring a tide pool...

Hiking with Finn...

TMT & Finn taking a break on a hike...

Another view from a hike...

Andrew & Finn's stick fight...

Maine Guide Fly Shop in Greenville...a stop before heading further North...

Navigation...with a little help...

View of Moosehead Lake...

Andrew's first Maine Trout on a Fly Rod...

Larger Brookie...

Alas...a salmon...on a DRY?! Good Shit...

Different view...just an amazing fish that ran, jumped...was about 20" long...just an amazing fish on a fly rod...

Upstream on a ME river...

Down stream on an ME river...

Another upstream view...

The fabled East Outlet...

Ice Shanty in July...

The look down down along Bar Island in Bar Harbor, ME

Hinckley Location in South West Harbor, ME...

Fishing South West Harbor, ME

Mackerel in South West Harbor, ME...like the old times with Dad....

Andrew & Finn time after fishing...

Photography Player...from a pond inside Acadia National Park...

Handsome Finn waiting for me after a bike ride...

22 oz. of delicious golden brown liquid...with a hint of blueberry...

Final Sunset...

Amy & Finn keeping the bed warm in the trailer...

Final night with some of the crew...

Finn's sleep on the ride home...

Overall an amazing trip...

From bike rides, hikes, and kayaking in Acadia National Park, To fishing Moosehead Lake's famous rivers, to eating at some of Portland's local restaurants with good fishing friends...

The week off was amazing and very much needed for this fisherman...

Salmon on a dry was mind blowing...Huge big old yellow stimulator...

Great shit...here's to keeping the visits going year after year...

e-mail for any questions on MDI or Acadia...