I was approached by my oldest daughter in a text message asking if I would take her fishing over the weekend in the kayak. The last time she fished with me was over fifteen years ago due to the fact that she didn't like to go to the restroom on the bank. My youngest daughter decided she would like to come along as well so a trip was made to pick up an extra kayak and plans were made.
I woke them up Sunday morning and we loaded up all of the gear as well as a cooler full of water and gatorade to help out with the extremely hot weather. After a quick stop to get a liscense for the oldest we were soon launching the kayaks on the Guadalupe river. I had them rigged up with some ultra light spinning reels with small spinnerbaits and I was throwing my 4wt Matthews fly rod and Solitude reel with a box full of Dragonfly Angler flies.
We fished for a few hours with very little to show for it. The temperature was around 109 degrees and the bite was extremely slow. With the fishing slow it was time to cool off with a little swim. The advantage of this area is that the springs from the Comal river dump cold water into the Guad at an intersection where they meet and makes for a cool resting place.
It was great to get to spend time with my daughters today, which was also my mom's birthday. I'm sure she was looking down on us smiling today.
Thanks girls
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Galveston oh' Galveston
Not a fly fishing trip, but a fishing trip is a fishing trip.
Made it out to Galveston on Saturday with my youngest brother and one of my best friends. I was taking my wife and youngest daughter to my brother's house to visit with him and his wife for the weekend since they would both be going back to school on Monday. My wife would be returning to teach and my daughter would be beginning her Junior year of College (send money).
Before we left Friday afternoon Chris called and said to bring a rod and any salt gear that I had in case we had a chance to fish. It was decided that night to give it a go so I called Ron and asked him if he was in and we all headed out at 4am for the hour and a half drive.
This was the first time for me to fish in the surf. How they talked me into getting in the water (sharks live there, i've seen them on shark week) i'll never know. Not only that but they did a good job humming the theme to Jaws as i'm chest deep in water.
The sunrise was beautiful and the sea was pretty calm as we waded out ready to cast our topwater lures. We chose to use artificials today and watched as most fish were caught on live bait around us. We were able to catch a few fish but it really didn't matter as it was all about the company.
Made it out to Galveston on Saturday with my youngest brother and one of my best friends. I was taking my wife and youngest daughter to my brother's house to visit with him and his wife for the weekend since they would both be going back to school on Monday. My wife would be returning to teach and my daughter would be beginning her Junior year of College (send money).
Before we left Friday afternoon Chris called and said to bring a rod and any salt gear that I had in case we had a chance to fish. It was decided that night to give it a go so I called Ron and asked him if he was in and we all headed out at 4am for the hour and a half drive.
This was the first time for me to fish in the surf. How they talked me into getting in the water (sharks live there, i've seen them on shark week) i'll never know. Not only that but they did a good job humming the theme to Jaws as i'm chest deep in water.
The sunrise was beautiful and the sea was pretty calm as we waded out ready to cast our topwater lures. We chose to use artificials today and watched as most fish were caught on live bait around us. We were able to catch a few fish but it really didn't matter as it was all about the company.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Fishing the Guadalupe
Was able to get out and finally test out the new Matthews Fly Rod on Saturday. I was wanting to try a different section of the river but even with the water as low as it is and the temperature being well over 100 degrees it amazed me how many people were camping and playing in the river. With this section being full I headed to the area where I fish most of the time. Got there and launched the Coosa into a river with it's dark green tinted water. Visibility was only a few feet down which played into my favor making the fish less spooked.
I added a Solitude 3/4 reel to the fly rod and loaded it with some Rio 4wt trout WF line to match the 4wt rod. The rod cast great and I was slinging the fly all over the place. Did good this trip, only lost two flies.
The Solitude reel worked great. The drag system on it does what it's supposed to do and is smooth.I also like the offset mount, it made it more comfortable to hold.
Didn't catch many large fish but I caught a lot of fish, had a lot of fun and saw a lot of big fish cruising around that would probably bite later in the day or early in the morning.
Most fish were caught on a wooly bugger and clouser, that were stipped in at a medium pace.
Don't know about you but i'm ready for some cooler weather.
First Bass from on the new rod and reel
I added a Solitude 3/4 reel to the fly rod and loaded it with some Rio 4wt trout WF line to match the 4wt rod. The rod cast great and I was slinging the fly all over the place. Did good this trip, only lost two flies.
The Solitude reel worked great. The drag system on it does what it's supposed to do and is smooth.I also like the offset mount, it made it more comfortable to hold.
Didn't catch many large fish but I caught a lot of fish, had a lot of fun and saw a lot of big fish cruising around that would probably bite later in the day or early in the morning.
Most fish were caught on a wooly bugger and clouser, that were stipped in at a medium pace.
Don't know about you but i'm ready for some cooler weather.
First Bass from on the new rod and reel
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Redfish in the Big Easy
Headed out Friday morning for what would be a 10 hour drive from my home in Texas to my cousin's home in Bay St Louis, Mississippi. Went through some heavy rain showers which was a complete reversal of anything that you would see back home this year. I wasn't even sure if the wiper blades would hold up after the fifty plus day's of 100 degree heat, fortunately they worked.
The way the trip was planned there would only be one chance to get to the marsh in Louisiana and try to catch my first redfish on a fly. Took along the 7wt TFO BVK loaded with 8wt WF line, sixteen pound redfish leader and sixteen pound tippet. Picked up a few shrimp immitation streamers, spoon, and a few topwaters to try out.
Spent the day Saturday visiting with family and attending my Uncle's 80th surprise birthday party.
Woke up Sunday and made the hour drive to New Orleans to pick up my friend Perry for a day of fishing. We made it out to Myrtle Grove by 10:30 in the morning and proceded to take the boat off the lift and load it up to head out. The water was pretty muddy from all of the rain with about 8in of clarity.
Started out throwing a shrimp immitation streamer and had a really hard time getting any distance out of it. Being new i'm really not sure if the setup was correct for tossing this heavier lure. After no action for awhile I went ahead and put on a popper that gets some action when out bass fishing. Was able to throw normal with this smaller fly. Any suggestions on what you think that I might be doing wrong would be appreciated.
The wind picked up with all of the storms around us and we paid close attention to the lightning by moving around to different areas whenever a storm got close. I have a picture of a water tornado that could be seen in the distance but not sure if you will be able to make it out. Pretty cool to see though.
Put the fly rod down and picked up the baitcaster with a jig head and croaker imitation soft bodied lure on it. Didn't take long to get my first keeper in the boat.
Not to long after that one Perry hooked into a nice 27in red and the fight was on.
We struggled to find fish all day, but with an hour of daylight left the tenth redfish went into the cooler. I ended the day with a nice 27 1/2 inch red. Lost a limit during the day and had a huge red fight me for a good five minutes then come off when the hook straightened out. That was a first for me.
Eight of our ten fish limit
My two largest on the day
Want to thank my cousin for putting me up for a few days and thanks to Perry for getting me out on the water. Had a great trip and will do it again next year.
The way the trip was planned there would only be one chance to get to the marsh in Louisiana and try to catch my first redfish on a fly. Took along the 7wt TFO BVK loaded with 8wt WF line, sixteen pound redfish leader and sixteen pound tippet. Picked up a few shrimp immitation streamers, spoon, and a few topwaters to try out.
Woke up Sunday and made the hour drive to New Orleans to pick up my friend Perry for a day of fishing. We made it out to Myrtle Grove by 10:30 in the morning and proceded to take the boat off the lift and load it up to head out. The water was pretty muddy from all of the rain with about 8in of clarity.
The wind picked up with all of the storms around us and we paid close attention to the lightning by moving around to different areas whenever a storm got close. I have a picture of a water tornado that could be seen in the distance but not sure if you will be able to make it out. Pretty cool to see though.
Put the fly rod down and picked up the baitcaster with a jig head and croaker imitation soft bodied lure on it. Didn't take long to get my first keeper in the boat.
Want to thank my cousin for putting me up for a few days and thanks to Perry for getting me out on the water. Had a great trip and will do it again next year.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
New Reel Arrived (Gear Preview) Solitude Reels
The Solitude2 reel that was ordered for the custom rod came in today. It is designed for 4,5,6 weight lines. Putting some 4wt line put on it and as soon as I get back from my redfish trip to Louisiana it will get a workout and review.
To find out moreHere are a few pictures after mounting.
About Solitude Reels
The Solitude Reel Company is located in the Skagit Valley just north of Seattle. The valley, bordered by ocean on one side and the North Cascade range on the other, is home to some of the most diverse fishing in the Northwest. Originating from the Midwest as a reel designed for the steelheader the new Solitude has cut its teeth in the heart of big steelhead country and has proven itself worthy of the task. Tested on the famed steelhead rivers and intimate beaches of North Puget Sound, the Solitude Reel has found a home in the Pacific Northwest.
At Solitude Reels, we take great pride in the design and precision machining of our product, a reel that is machined right here in the United States. Many additions and improvements have been made to the original design, most notably is the reversibility of the retrieve. The reel can now be easily converted by the angler himself. All standard parts found in our reel have been designed for increased functionality and strength. The parts themselves, all twenty of them, are high- precision machined parts made in our CNC (computer numeric control) machine shop. All materials used in our reel are corrosive resistant. The drag surfaces are cork on Teflon in the SR2 and SR3 and cork on Type III anodized aluminum in the SR4 and SR5 reels. Both drag systems provide unsurpassed smoothness. A new custom spring system has allowed for superior range in both drag systems, providing the angler who targets large fish with light tippets a multitude of micro adjustments to land their fish. More recently, we have upgraded the SR4 and SR5 reels with stronger springs and larger over sized drag discs. These reels now produce up to 17lbs of drag. The combinations of these modifications have increased the drag capabilities in these reels to include larger saltwater species.
We utilize a stainless steel one-directional clutch bearing, which is encased in a machined Type III anodized aluminum clutch housing. The housing, as well as the hub, rotor sleeve, and spindle are machined with tolerances of .0002” providing a solid and smooth rotation of the spool. The frames are reinforced with added material to reduce flex or contortion and to increase strength and durability. The spools are designed to lock onto the frames easily and smoothly with a tight fit. Large Arbor spools are available for the SR4 and SR5 as an option to the Standard Mid Arbor spool. Intense polishing is done to each part that receives anodizing. The spool flanges and frame are polished to a number 8 finish (mirror finish) before being sent to anodize and then re-polished before assembly. The result is a beautiful finish that compliments the precision feel of the reel. You can expect a reel with an amazingly smooth drag and equally smooth feel and look.
We have now introduced a Type III hard anodized finish to all our black reels in order to provide the highest quality finish for use in extreme environments, particularly marine. Type III anodizing vitually penetrates the aluminum with near ceramic hardness while building-up on the surface by an equal thickness. Although the cost is many times that of Type I or Type II, it becomes worth it to the angler to own a reel that appears like new after many years of severe use.
Careful thought has been put into the functionality, performance, and durability of our line of reels. This attention to detail has led to a reel that will stand up to the toughest of tests. These reels have been designed by folks who fish and understand what a reel should do to give the angler the performance needed to land some of North America’s strongest and most explosive fish. We hope that you will enjoy our product and that it will serve you well on your adventures.
To find out moreHere are a few pictures after mounting.
About Solitude Reels
The Solitude Reel Company is located in the Skagit Valley just north of Seattle. The valley, bordered by ocean on one side and the North Cascade range on the other, is home to some of the most diverse fishing in the Northwest. Originating from the Midwest as a reel designed for the steelheader the new Solitude has cut its teeth in the heart of big steelhead country and has proven itself worthy of the task. Tested on the famed steelhead rivers and intimate beaches of North Puget Sound, the Solitude Reel has found a home in the Pacific Northwest.
At Solitude Reels, we take great pride in the design and precision machining of our product, a reel that is machined right here in the United States. Many additions and improvements have been made to the original design, most notably is the reversibility of the retrieve. The reel can now be easily converted by the angler himself. All standard parts found in our reel have been designed for increased functionality and strength. The parts themselves, all twenty of them, are high- precision machined parts made in our CNC (computer numeric control) machine shop. All materials used in our reel are corrosive resistant. The drag surfaces are cork on Teflon in the SR2 and SR3 and cork on Type III anodized aluminum in the SR4 and SR5 reels. Both drag systems provide unsurpassed smoothness. A new custom spring system has allowed for superior range in both drag systems, providing the angler who targets large fish with light tippets a multitude of micro adjustments to land their fish. More recently, we have upgraded the SR4 and SR5 reels with stronger springs and larger over sized drag discs. These reels now produce up to 17lbs of drag. The combinations of these modifications have increased the drag capabilities in these reels to include larger saltwater species.
We utilize a stainless steel one-directional clutch bearing, which is encased in a machined Type III anodized aluminum clutch housing. The housing, as well as the hub, rotor sleeve, and spindle are machined with tolerances of .0002” providing a solid and smooth rotation of the spool. The frames are reinforced with added material to reduce flex or contortion and to increase strength and durability. The spools are designed to lock onto the frames easily and smoothly with a tight fit. Large Arbor spools are available for the SR4 and SR5 as an option to the Standard Mid Arbor spool. Intense polishing is done to each part that receives anodizing. The spool flanges and frame are polished to a number 8 finish (mirror finish) before being sent to anodize and then re-polished before assembly. The result is a beautiful finish that compliments the precision feel of the reel. You can expect a reel with an amazingly smooth drag and equally smooth feel and look.
We have now introduced a Type III hard anodized finish to all our black reels in order to provide the highest quality finish for use in extreme environments, particularly marine. Type III anodizing vitually penetrates the aluminum with near ceramic hardness while building-up on the surface by an equal thickness. Although the cost is many times that of Type I or Type II, it becomes worth it to the angler to own a reel that appears like new after many years of severe use.
Careful thought has been put into the functionality, performance, and durability of our line of reels. This attention to detail has led to a reel that will stand up to the toughest of tests. These reels have been designed by folks who fish and understand what a reel should do to give the angler the performance needed to land some of North America’s strongest and most explosive fish. We hope that you will enjoy our product and that it will serve you well on your adventures.
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