Ichthus Reel

Had the chance to test out a reel called the Ichthus ( which means fish in Greek ).
It comes from a company called Risen Fly based out of Beaver Falls, PA. and is available in 3/4,5/6,7/8, and 9/10wts in both Black or Gunmetal colors. The company also offers fly line, backing, fly boxes and some accessories.

Pairing the reel with my custom Kabuto rod I went out and put it through the paces.

Some things I noticed about the reel was that the finish is nice, it comes apart easy. Line stripping is very smooth and the reel is easy to palm when fighting a fish. The drag hasn't been tested yet because the bigger fish did not want to cooperate during the trip but the adjustment knob is large, which makes it easy to control if you are fighting a bigger fish.

Currently they are offering a 30% discount which will end on June 14th on their website.

Here are some specs:
Precision machine cut from pure aerospace aluminum bar stock and stainless steel for maximum strength and corrosion protection
Large diameter Cork/FXB polymer disc drag delivers ultra smooth, low start-up inertia
Two sealed, precision, stainless steel ball bearings
Fitted with one-way roller bearing
Quick left and right hand handle reversal
Counter balanced spool
Large arbor design
Easy drag adjustment
Drag clutch with zero-backlash
Silent retrieve with a crisp out-going click
Quick release spool
Exposed palming rim for additional control

SUPerFISHal

Had the chance to play around with a paddle board during the summer that I was doing a review on and found out that it was different but fun. During the winter, money was saved and a Jackson Kayak SUPerFISHal was ordered. Wednesday after work I drove to the dealer and picked up my new SUP.

As I headed back out of town, thoughts ran through my head of how this SUP should be rigged out. Upon arriving back home this afternoon I went ahead and added the two rod holders that come with it onto their Ram mounts and placed the K2 Cooler into the position it should be.

A few tie down straps will have to be added to keep the cooler more secure and I might add a drag chain to slow or stop the SUP when I need to. Guess a new SUP paddle will need to be saved for now.

I'll do a review on it as soon as some time is spent on the water fly fishing from it.

The Fish Of 2012

Put together a collage of some of the fish caught this past year.
Hope you enjoy,
Robert

Fall on the Guad

Hearing rain drops tapping on the window took me by surprise. Wondering what the water looked like upon reaching the river was the second one of the morning. Stepping into the water as I waded to the dam with kayak in tow reminded me that the dog days of summer are over.

Not sure if it was the river turning over with the new season upon us, or the earlier storm that had the fishing slower than normal. Started the day out tossing a Zazzy Pop tight against the bank. I laughed out loud as the perch blew the popper out of the water only to be eaten by a small Guadalupe bass that was just bigger than the popper itself.

What I like about exploring this river is the beauty that is found around every bend. Whether the majestic Bald Cypress trees or the sight of fish as they dart through the rapids as the kayak crosses their path.

The last few trips the river has given up a bonus to me. Pound for pound I think the Rio is one of the hardest fighting fish that I have come across in freshwater. They sure put a bend in the fly rod.

Days like today also serve as a reminder of why I wear a PFD all of the time. It took one missed rock in the set of rapids to spin the kayak and flip without a chance to correct myself. Luckily I didn't lose anything on this day except for a little pride.

Hopefully around the next bend, on the next adventure I will get into some of the deeper pools that are known to hold some hefty smallmouth.

Until next time, be safe on and off the water.

G'morning from the Perdanales

Couldn't believe the alarm was going off this morning, not for work but for a short fishing trip.
Having the day off had me excited for a week about hitting a river i'd never fished before.
Driving thru the Hill Country I was able to see the beauty that people who live in the city only dream of, how I love living outside the city. Where else can you slow the truck to a near stop as a Turkey crosses the road followed by two of her offspring without a care in the world.
Upon arriving in Fredricksburg I turned off the highway and headed to my friends house who had invited me to fish a section of the Perdanales river that was only accessable through private land.

This section runs deep with a nice mixture of grass and reeds lining the bank. Stringing up my new Matthews 5wt and tying on a Zazzy Pop popper, it was time to slide the Coosa into the water.

Paddling over to the far bank I began tossing the popper around the grass line. This was the first time for me to use the new rod and the speed and action of it were great. After a few casts the popper landed in a pocket of grass and after one twitch it disappeared into the depths of the green water. Setting the hook, the bass exploded skyward trying to shake what had just bit back. The fish took me to the reel and after tiring I was able to lip it and take a few pictures before releasing her to fight again.

Paddling to another spot I made a cast alongside a log laying in the water. Upon the fly hitting tha water it was gone, setting the hook I was met with the surprise of a very large perch. This thing filled up my hand and put up a great fight. Another picture taken and another fish released.

The trip then came to an abrubt halt as the phone rang and we were loading up the kayaks to go chase some cows that had got out. Ahhhhh the country life. I will return.

Runoff ( Every Day In May )

Day 22 and the topic is Runoff.

Runoff can be a great thing for those that have been in dire need of rain, filling the places back up that I like to fish. It can also be disastorous, causing destruction and ruin in areas that don't need it.
For the last two years, Texas has been in need of some serious runoff. With it's lakes and rivers at their lowest levels, I get excited when the river turns brown and starts to roll. So what if I don't get to fish for a few day's, atleast I will get to fish in the future.

This is what the same river looked like through most of last year....

Snake Eyes

Was able to sneak away for a few hours and do some fly fishing on the Guadalupe river. The water is starting to clear from the rains of a week ago but the flow was still at a good rate. Wading my way upriver, it became apparent that I was going to be wet from the waist down most of the day since it hasn't returned to normal level yet.

Struggling in some areas to get through against the current, I was able to make my way to a run where i've caught trout during the winter. Fishing this stretch without a bite, it was time to sit down and eat the leftover piece of pizza that i'd packed for lunch.

While sitting on the rock eating lunch and enjoying the sound of the water flowing past my feet, I was startled to see a snake slithering by my feet as the current swept it down the river. We startled each other and he kicked it in high gear to get as far from me as possible. After lunch was done and I was putting my packs back on, here came another snake right at my feet being carried down as well. After making a mental note to not eat lunch at this rock in the future I decided to work downstream and change up tactics from trout to bluegill. Tying on a wooly bugger was all it took to get the fish coming in for pictures.

As I came to a deeper pool, I decided to get close to the bank and cross at a different section. Approaching the bank, and after seeing the amount of snakes that were out I scanned the edge as I approached. Looking down to see where to step I met another snake that was curled up under a branch beneath the water. If I hadn't looked down I would have stepped right on it.

It was a nice relaxing day and a good workout all rolled into one. I was able to try out my new 5wt custom rod and Solitude reel.

Even learned how to work the self timer on my camera.

Have fun out there....................................................................

Fish ( Every Day In May )

Day 18 and the topic is Fish.

Happy Friday to all, today I will focus on the species of fish that are sought after in the rivers that I fish.
First up is the Largemouth bass. Aside from some of the trash fish that are found in the local flows, this has to be one of the most sought out fish around these parts. They can be found in lakes, rivers, and stock tanks.

Next up is the Hybrid bass, it is a cross between species of bass to be found in the local rivers. These fish enjoy more current and pound for pound have to be one of the hardest fighting fish around here.

One of the prized fish to catch out of the local river is the Smallmouth bass, they have been crossbred and are one the hardest fish to target. It's usually luck when you come across some and they are usually in the heaviest current breaks. One of the nicest looking fish in the river for me.

The true prize on the river is the Guadalupe bass, a pure strain is a rare find now days but they are still there. They are found in very few rivers in Texas but are common in my home river. Not growing to a large size but a lot of fun on a 0-2wt fly rod.

The easiest fish to catch around here is the Sunfish, while they come in many different species they all have the same attitude. Something just fell in the water and i'm going to eat it. I can't tell you how many times i've had to go to a larger fly just to keep them off the hook, does'nt work all the time though.

Another surprise fish that you come across occasionally is the Rio. When you hook one of these your first thought is of a nice bass. A very strong fighter and eager to devour a fly.

This fish, the Rainbow trout is the icing on the cake. I don't have to travel outside of the state to catch one. I can actually find them 15 minutes from the house. While they are not native, they do survive because of the cold water in the Guadalupe river. Stocked each fall and winter by the local chapter of Trout Unlimited as well as the state makes it nice that you can stay close to home and catch them.

While these fish are not all of the species found in the rivers that I fish, they are what I target and enjoy catching the most.
Thank's for following along and hope to see you on the river some day.

Fly ( Every Day In May )

Day 17 and the topic is FLY.

When I started out fly fishing, my first flies were some that were purchased from a chain store. Then I graduated to a fly shop, which pretty much had the same flies. Then I was approached by         DragonFly Angler Flies about trying out some of the warmwater flies that he was hand tying, and that is where the boundaries were changed. Not only was the quality of a custom fly better than what I was finding in the stores, but the durability is what is the most impressive part to me. Except for the few that i've lost to the tree gods the remainder are still being used to this day.

Here is a look at some of the flies that I am using from him.

Panfish Treat

Currently he is tying me some Deer hair poppers and some Cajun Cheerleaders for me to try out on the river here.

Cajun Cheerleader

Panfish Hair Popper

Support your local fly tyer........................................

KEEN Gorge Boots (Product Review)

Badly needing a new pair of wading shoes, the decision was made to go with the Gorge Boots offered by Keen Footwear.


 After wearing river sandals for a few years I was getting tired of taking them off numerous times during the day to get the gravel and rocks out of them from wet wading. What drew me to these were these features.
- Abrasion resistant synthetic and 3MM neoprene upper
- AEGIS Microbe Shield treated lining
- High traction, performance water outsole
- Multi-point adjustable strap system
- Removable metatomical EVA molded footbed with AEGIS Microbe Shield
- Wrapped outsole with multi directional lug pattern

Now that the weather has warmed up I have been able to put them to the test and so far I am very pleased with my purchase. The boot fits comfortably and is snug without allowing gravel inside. They are easy to put on and easy to take off even when wet, the toe guard has helped out numerous times with the amount of rocks that I hit them up against when portaging the kayak through a set of rocky rapids and the sole offers excellent traction, even on the slippery surfaces that i've encountered.
This is a product that I would definately reccomend to anyone who asks.