Video Review: Skagit Master

In a time where fly fishing video entertainment has evolved to follow the Warren Milleresque template, Skagit Master takes a step back to the roots of industry spey fishing videos with a more instructional approach.  That said, its regression doesn’t lose sight of the important ingredient of entertainment.

Produced/directed by Jeff Mishler with heavy instructional insight from Skagit Casting pioneer Ed Ward, Skagit Master is a good bet for anyone that wants real life Skagit Casting insight without sacrificing a little goofing around.  It also has an informal segment on purpose built flies that includes screen time from co-creator of The Intruder – Jerry French (who happens to be a good Moldy Chum friend and fishing partner that personally introduced me to the largest AK West leopard rainbow I have and may ever see).  The video isn't about a bunch of self felating cast geeks, it's about real world application.  It's about leveraging specific methods that get you in the game more quickly and more often.

Skagit Master isn’t the best pure instructional video we’ve ever seen nor is it the most creative lifestyle piece out there.  But it is the best blend of both that we’ve ever seen.  It had us engaged to the point where we've already watched it twice and will continue to pop it on for continued education.  That can’t be said about any other instructional piece we've seen.

Skagit Master should have a place in every casters collection and is a must have for all double hand junkies. 

Buy Skagit Master here and now

Deneki Outdoors Guest Post: 10 tips - Swinging flies for Kings

Tip #10, executed to perfection.

Photo: Cameron Miller

Planning on swinging flies for king salmon this summer, maybe on the Kanektok or the Dean? Here are some tips that may help. 

1. Cast across and slightly downstream. You certainly need to read the water you're fishing and adjust accordingly, but in general if you're fishing a broad, gradual gravel bar, the most effective presentation is across and maybe 20 degrees downstream from perpendicular to the flow.
2. Mend big. No delicate mends here. In your typical king swinging water, a big upstream mend immediately after the fly lands will result in the best presentation. Mend big - use the whole rod. Move the whole fly line.
3. Mend slack. If you shoot all your line on the cast and then make that big mend, you'll be pulling the fly back towards you, rather than taking advantage of the beautiful long cast you just made (right?). Hang on to that last 5 feet or so of running line when you make your cast, so that when you mend you can let go and mend slack-- positioning the line and the fly properly, not pulling the fly back towards you.
4. Maintain a straight line to the fly. Kings want a long, slow, steady swing. In most water this is best achieved by keeping your line as straight to the fly as possible. Don't worry about perfection - make a few big mends to keep the line straight, and then just let 'er swing.
5. Don't set until you've got a steady pull. The classic king take goes like this - Yank...yank...pause...deep pull. Wait for the deep pull to set the hook. We're not always sure what going on underwater during a take, but we know you need to wait for the deep pull. Of course, if line just suddenly starts screaming off you reel, you don't need to wait for much of anything.
6. Set low, hard, and towards the bank. A lazy rise of the rod tip will not get the job done here. After you get the deep pull, give a hard, quick jab downstream and toward the bank with the butt of your rod. If your knots are tied well you're not going to break him off-- set hard.
7. Don't try to stop them. Particularly on the first couple of strong runs, let them run. If they're headed downriver and you clamp down to try to halt the run-- here's where you are going to break them off. Unless you're staring at your arbor knot and you've got no choice, let them run and work hard to retrieve line once they stop. Besides, this is the fun part!
8. Put the heat to 'em. Once you've got the hook set, and after the mayhem of the first couple of runs, fight them hard. These are big, strong fish, and if you're not working hard, they're resting. The longer the fight lasts, the longer the hook has to work itself free, and the more time the fish has to be come dangerously exhausted. Fight them hard! You should be breathing hard after landing a hot king - really.
9. Walk backwards to land them. When the fight is nearly over and the fish is ready to be landed, the easiest way to end the fight is often to keep a tight line to the fish and slowly walk backwards until the fish is in shallow water. If you're not in a spot where you can walk backwards (like up against a brushy bank), you may just have to get creative.
10. If you're going to take a picture, leave the fish close to the water. If not in the water, that is. It's much easier on the fish and it just looks better!

Deneki Outdoors is a close friend of the Chum family and is certainly dialed in to all things anadromous.  We look forward to many more guest posts from Deneki.  Until then, visit the Deneki Outdoors Blog

Clay Dyer - Rockstar

Can't remember if we posted this on the old site or not.  Regardless, it's a helluva story that's tough to get enough of.

The Mongolian Way

Taimen require a faster action set up...

...and when that's not quite enough, there are more efficient techniques.

Pics sent to us by our buddy A.P. at Fish Mongolia.

Learning from The Masters

 

From yesterday's inbox.

The Fly Shop is excited to announce that we will again be hosting Dec Hogan’s Spey Casting and Fishing Clinics on the Sacramento River in Redding in April.

Each daily clinic is held on-the-water on the Sacramento River near Redding, and will be split into a morning and an afternoon session, with lunch provided in between. The morning session will focus on the fundamentals of two-handed casting techniques, while the afternoon session is dedicated to actual fishing applications that anglers encounter when fishing with Spey rods. This is a great opportunity for any student of spey casting, or anglers interested in targeting steelhead, sea-trout, or Atlantic Salmon on the fly, to learn from one of the true masters of fly fishing with the two-handed rod.

The cost for the full-day casting and fishing clinic is $250 per person, which includes lunch. The clinics will be held on Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5. There will be a maximum of 6 rods per class, so sign up now to guarantee yourself a spot.

If you are interested in signing up for either of the two full-day casting and fishing clinics, contact Michael Caranci at The Fly Shop at 800-669-3474, or michael@theflyshop.com.

Give a bird a fish, it will eat for a day. Teach a bird to fish, it will take over the world