Fly Fishing Gear of President Eisenhower
Ike undoubtedly owned a good many rods and reels and some have perhaps been lost to history, held in private collections, or may be stored at Abilene. While he enjoyed all manner of fresh water fishing, Ike was particularly fond of fly fishing for trout. Local rumor has that streams around Camp David were stocked with trout whenever Ike was visiting and local anglers, upon hearing that Ike had been at camp, would flock to fish the downstream areas of these creeks and catch the remaining fish.
I’m not sure if he spent much time salt water fishing however there are three different sand spikes and a chum pot in the NPS collection. The fly rod is a Pflueger R3780 in eight foot length and made of fiberglass. The White House tag can be seen on the rod bag. The small bottle is dry fly treatment and labeled Silicote Dry Fly Dressing, copyright 1946. I’d like to believe that this fly rod and some of the other gear might have some neat stories to tell. Ike loved fishing and, with the great responsibilities he carried on his shoulders, one certainly can’t begrudge him his days on the stream.
For Eisenhower, like many of us who love fly fishing, the sport probably served as...
Seven Ideas For Cabin Fever This Winter
With the long winter season coming up ahead of us combined with virus restrictions many of us will be experiencing a little more cabin fever than usual this year. Rather than give in to the seasonal drag this is the time to really bolster that dry fly box and do all your typical winter activities. To help breathe some life into your yearly winter routine I’ve compiled a list of some challenges and activities to help get you through the cold season and defeat cabin fever.
1. Try New Tying Goals
While tying is the standard winter activity, maybe this is the year to change it up a little bit. The box expansion will in turn change up your selection while fishing and you just might find that new confidence pattern you’ve been looking for! The challenge is as follows: Tie 3 new patterns of each respective style (streamer, dry, nymph, etc.). This is the time to experiment and try some of the newer patterns coming from our younger tiers or some of the more out-of-the-box streamer patterns that seem to be invented every day! A couple of really awesome sources for new patterns with material lists and instructions are Fly Fish Food and their YouTube channel, AvidMax, and for streamers, Kelly Galloup is the guy. Instagram also has some extremely talented tiers that are always willing to lend a hand and have some wonderful videos too. Some of my favorites are SvendDiesel, Lucas Utrera, and hopperjuan_fly_fishing.
This is also the time to challenge yourself to pick up or master some tying skills you may be lacking such as spinning deer hair, Catskill-style dry fly wings, or nailing that perfect tapered nymph body. The list is really endless and I promise that it will pay off in the long run (especially if you’re constantly sacrificing to the bottom gods).
Lastly, spin up a box for your favorite charity with a selection of your best producers. A...
Infinity Bottle: Creating Your Home Bourbon Blending
Although I don't consider myself a bourbon expert, I have been a fan of this spirit since my college days. Back then, my friends and I would gather around to watch Saturday football games on TV, play cards, and sip on some Jim Beam mixed with ginger ale. It was a simpler time, and our tastes were less sophisticated, but those memories remain some of my fondest.In recent years, bourbon has gained a lot of popularity, resulting in the emergence of new distilleries. This, in turn, has given me the opportunity to explore many labels that have been around for decades.
I like to keep a decent collection of about ten to fifteen different bourbons on hand. This gives me plenty of options for mixing, on the rocks, or sipping neat. One of my inspirations for collecting bourbons is my friend Ed, who has an impressive collection of 62 different brands. We counted them last Thursday night. I don't have a bar big enough to accommodate that kind of hobby, but I'm glad to have him as a friend in many ways. I not only get to admire his stocked shelves, but I also get to taste a wide range of distillers' products. It's good to have friends.
Along with Ed’s collection, a few years ago, a trip to Louisville added to my bourbon background. Definitely worth the journey to explore the roots of the bourbon experience. The distillery tours are gaining a lot of attention and reservations are pretty much required anymore to get a tour or even a paid tasting. A designated driver is a must and helps make the experience that much easier to enjoy.
There is a lot to learn about the process of bourbon making. History has its own aura and you can see the passion for bourbon runs deep in the horse country of Kentucky. With stops at Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses...
Holiday Gift Guide 2022: The Best Fly-Fishing Gear Under $50
As fly fishing anglers, we have different needs than other anglers. While we eye up and even scrutinize bigger ticket items this doesn’t leave much for friends and family to pick up for us during the Holidays. Here are some of my favorite accessories and many I keep as doubles so I can easily move between my fly fishing hip bag and pack vest.
Headlamp - Black Diamond Sprint 225 Headlamp
This isn’t just for night fishing, but for when you are hiking back to your vehicle. No fun stumbling through the brush at dusk. $49.95 at Amazon
Wader Chains - Yaktrax Traction Chains for Walking on Ice and Snow
These were my favorite buy over the last year and a recommendation from @Bruno . They are easy on and off. Most importantly really help on those slippery rocks. $29.95 at Amazon
Clip on Magnifiers - Clip on Fly Tying Flip Focal 2.25X Magnification
Nothing wrong with having a couple of these on the ready. If you can’t see the fly you can’t tie it to your line. $19.95 at Orvis or your local fly shop
Fishing Thermometer
An excellent tool to know what the temps are when you fish. Most important when temps are getting warmer in the early summer. $14.95 at Precision or your local fly shop
Orvis Hy-Flote® Fly Dip
I was in my local Orvis shop last month and this was recommended. I like it even more than some of the powder products. $10.95 at Orvis or Orvis Dealer
Handy Pak Net - Plastic Handle Leather Pouch Made in Pennsylvania
The folding net is a great concept and works well when you want to travel light. There are some wooden handle models as well. The cons of this net...
Book Review of Tributaries by Lou Wentz
Tributaries is a wonderful collection of memories about fly fishing in the Pennsylvania and Catskills region. Lou Wentz provides a personal journey recalling his time growing up along fly fishing streams, sharing life accounts and reflections of over 40 years of angling experiences. An interesting, fun read for fly fishing anglers.
I was expecting a traditional kiss and tell book covering some new locations and even secret personal technics for some lesser known waters of the region. It was none of those things, it was better.
The chapters bounce from childhood stories to memorable fly fishing experiences that are often full of surprises. Wentz reflects on tragic floods and fishing along Neshaminy Creek with characters like Indian Joe, Deke and Old Man Burger. Later in the book, the author reflects choices of a chance encounter with hippy girl or pursuing trout on Shermans Creek. These are difficult decisions in a young anglers life.
The author shares many other fascinating accounts of his youth, the passage of time and experiences along streams like the Tulpehocken, Penns, Perkiomen, Lackawanna and more.
His stories brought back many memories of my youth and fishing. Growing up, our adventures range from the unremarkable to magical events. As we get older and look back, we realize the importance of them all.
While an fun read, it may feel a little eclectic at times threading together some of his accounts. The author connects pieces of life and fly fishing together in the book. Tributaries is a book for someone who appreciates what time and fly fishing can offer, no matter where they live.
Lou Wentz is a long-time member of the Paflyfish community and goes by the user name @Oregon_OwlII. The book is available now on Amazon here. - https://a.co/d/1qUD3p9
I was expecting a traditional kiss and tell book covering some new locations and even secret personal technics for some lesser known waters of the region. It was none of those things, it was better.
The chapters bounce from childhood stories to memorable fly fishing experiences that are often full of surprises. Wentz reflects on tragic floods and fishing along Neshaminy Creek with characters like Indian Joe, Deke and Old Man Burger. Later in the book, the author reflects choices of a chance encounter with hippy girl or pursuing trout on Shermans Creek. These are difficult decisions in a young anglers life.
The author shares many other fascinating accounts of his youth, the passage of time and experiences along streams like the Tulpehocken, Penns, Perkiomen, Lackawanna and more.
His stories brought back many memories of my youth and fishing. Growing up, our adventures range from the unremarkable to magical events. As we get older and look back, we realize the importance of them all.
While an fun read, it may feel a little eclectic at times threading together some of his accounts. The author connects pieces of life and fly fishing together in the book. Tributaries is a book for someone who appreciates what time and fly fishing can offer, no matter where they live.
Lou Wentz is a long-time member of the Paflyfish community and goes by the user name @Oregon_OwlII. The book is available now on Amazon here. - https://a.co/d/1qUD3p9
Penns Creek, Hatch Factory - Webinar on Nov. 17
It is no secret that Penns Creek is regarded as one of Pennsylvania’s premier wild trout waterways. This status comes out of respect for the challenge and intrigue this stream has for anglers. If you want to learn more about this fantastic trout stream, then you don’t want to miss Rick Nyles when he shares his 35 years of experience of fishing this exciting waterway in Central Pennsylvania. He will cover the prolific bug life, the seasons and the lay of the land. Dave Kile from Paflyfish will be moderating the webinar.
Rick is owner of Sky Blue Outfitters and has been guiding since 1999 on Penns. Rick is also an award-winning fly tyer. His Green Drake pattern placed 3rd in the Orvis Fly Tying Contest. Join in and learn from his experience on fishing Penns Creek.
Program Highlights:
Hatches
Different Seasons on the Stream
Gear ideas
Questions and Answers
Join us online Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:30 PM.
Limited registration so sign up today here - https://bit.ly/PennsCrWebinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
John's Brown Bass
By
Dave Weaver
Photographs and artwork courtesy of the author
Harper’s Ferry is a quiet place where the gentle hiss of river current is the only consistent sound, especially at night. It was a century and a half ago on the night of October 16th, 1859 as less than two dozen men, led by the messianic abolitionist from Kansas, John Brown, crossed the Potomac and slipped into the town streets to initiate what Brown believed would be the end of slavery in America. A staunch Calvinist who believed that he was on a mission from God to end slavery, Brown intended to bring to life his favorite passage from the Bible: “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.” The sin of slavery would be paid for with Brown’s own blood if need be.
Thomas Jefferson said that the view from Harper’s Ferry Virginia (now West Virginia) where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers join was so “stupendous” as to be worth a trip across the Atlantic just to see its beauty. Thirty-three years after our third President’s death, this little town saw played out what was arguably the seminal event leading to the Civil War – a drama seen through the lens of terrorism or martyrdom. Today, bass fishing is fabulous in and around this tiny town so woven into the fabric of our nation’s past. For those fishermen with a historical bent, it’s easy to miss the strikes of hard-hitting smallmouths due to the irresistible temptation to gaze at nearby Maryland Heights where Stonewall Jackson’s guns blasted the town into submission in 1862 (and forced the largest surrender of Union forces in the Civil War); or the stately stone Harper house; or the old railroad bridge; or the fire engine house where Brown and his holdouts took cover; or any of a host of intriguing sites. A fisherman in the river is surrounded by bass under the surface and three states on the shorelines. So much to see, catch, and think...
John Browns's Bass - Part 2
Part 1
Some years prior to this bloody drama, likely in the summer of 1853, railroad workers on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad gathered some smallmouth bass from somewhere in the fish’s native range in the Ohio River basin. According to some accounts, these fish were placed in water buckets near Pittsburgh, taken eastward by train, and eventually released in the upper Potomac near Cumberland, several dozen miles upriver from Harper’s Ferry.
Today such introduction of non-native species, frowned on as it is, wouldn’t be considered beneficial and the new invaders would likely be targeted for eradication, much as the “snakehead” fish are targeted today in the lower, tidal reaches of the river where they have been illegally introduced in recent years. In the nineteenth century, however, a different ethic prevailed and in the case of smallmouth bass, the long-term results have been positive. Like the striped bass, the range of the smallmouth followed the expansion of the railroads and we fly rodders are better off for it. Although relatively slow growers (an eighteen-inch river smallie is typically eight to twelve years old in this part of the country) the newly introduced bass spread rapidly through the Potomac River system, finding the habitat much to their liking.
The State of Maryland actually owns the entire width of the Potomac River but in the Harper’s Ferry area, license reciprocity is in effect and you can use a Maryland license along the Virginia and West Virginia shores. While drift boat fishing is popular in this area and some excellent local guides can show you a great day, I like wade fishing with a fly rod. The habitat around Harper’s Ferry is ideal for the foot-bound angler, although finding parking areas can be difficult in the immediate area...
Some years prior to this bloody drama, likely in the summer of 1853, railroad workers on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad gathered some smallmouth bass from somewhere in the fish’s native range in the Ohio River basin. According to some accounts, these fish were placed in water buckets near Pittsburgh, taken eastward by train, and eventually released in the upper Potomac near Cumberland, several dozen miles upriver from Harper’s Ferry.
Today such introduction of non-native species, frowned on as it is, wouldn’t be considered beneficial and the new invaders would likely be targeted for eradication, much as the “snakehead” fish are targeted today in the lower, tidal reaches of the river where they have been illegally introduced in recent years. In the nineteenth century, however, a different ethic prevailed and in the case of smallmouth bass, the long-term results have been positive. Like the striped bass, the range of the smallmouth followed the expansion of the railroads and we fly rodders are better off for it. Although relatively slow growers (an eighteen-inch river smallie is typically eight to twelve years old in this part of the country) the newly introduced bass spread rapidly through the Potomac River system, finding the habitat much to their liking.
The State of Maryland actually owns the entire width of the Potomac River but in the Harper’s Ferry area, license reciprocity is in effect and you can use a Maryland license along the Virginia and West Virginia shores. While drift boat fishing is popular in this area and some excellent local guides can show you a great day, I like wade fishing with a fly rod. The habitat around Harper’s Ferry is ideal for the foot-bound angler, although finding parking areas can be difficult in the immediate area...
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