Stress is not even a word for how my year has gone. I haven't posted in some time due to the fact that I have been working on a ton of things. My life has taken turn after turn. Super storms, not just one but two have taken me to the jersey shore and then back north. The drifter in me has landed in the land of get it done before you get too old. For the last few months I have been working very hard to get things in order for becoming a fishing guide. I have worked endlessly to get my boat finished. This was no easy task. I had to build a trailer. Here, on the east coast, finding a trailer for my boat wasn't an easy deal. I have a 16' cataraft and finding a light weight trailer for it was a project. We found a ski doo trailer and cut it in half and extended it 4'. It came with doughnut wheels so I had to replace them. Wow, trailer tires and rims are a chunk of change.
Then it was on to building the deck. That took me two weekends. One of figuring out how I wanted to build it. Then building it. I won't bore you with the details just holy hell though. This has all brought me to the building of the boat. I started building it when I was in Oregon some 5 years ago at least now. This boat isn't cheap I have had to work my ass off to afford all the parts. All of which has seemed like it just will never end. I've had to put a lot on the back burner trying to get this all done before winter hit.
I love to bow hunt and before the fish really get amped up here I'm usually in the woods. I may have gone three times this year. There are many more things that I have been trying to get done. So while all this has been happening I have been making trades for work for websites and just going non stop! I fished for trout early in the spring and then we had a drought here in the north east. So I've had the major Jone's to fish.
It's Thanksgiving today and the holidays seem to stress me more and more as the years go on. I often feel like it is always something every time I turn around. Birthdays, holidays, whatever the case may be. I dream of standing in the river with just the sound of the birds and the wind in my ears.
Those are moments that come and go in the blink of an eye. I cherish every one, as if I was doing them at this very moment. I think back to the fish I've caught on a cold winters day, memorable fish.
For me it really isn't about catching tons of fish. It becomes the moments away from work and the grind of every day. Lately it seems I have the world up my ass and I have to jump fast.
Could I have just dropped what I was doing and gone fishing or hunting? Sure but, at the same time, I can't enjoy them when I know I have things to be done.
I have been blessed with a women who may be a saint in a working ladies clothes. Thank the Lord above for her because she has had my back the whole way. None of which has been easy for her, mind you. Most women don't understand a mans strange obsession with being in the outdoors (some do). I also have a few friends who have stuck with me through this and if your reading this you most likely know who you are. To my hunting buddies I'm sorry I haven't been able to put more time in the woods.
I look forward to bow season, it is different then fishing, I can't catch and release deer. My bow adventures this season have only made me want to get back out there even more. That, my friends, is another story! So I'm hoping your having a happy Thanksgiving as I Jone's to get on the river. More adventures are soon to come. Stay tuned.
A Fly Fishing Blog featuring Señor Miguel Nutto as the BOUNTY CASTER...
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
The quest to find a rising trout
So spring has sprung after a long winter. When I lived out west a guide once said go back east and go fish for your east coast trout. I have to tell you that finding these creatures has been no easy task this spring.
If you fish like I do in the winter time, you have no choice but to nymph. When you first start nymphing it isn't so bad. I have never been one to be a purest to dry fly verses nymphing. There comes a point though were you want to see trout rising to dry flies. When I lived out west you would wait for the Salmon stone flies to start to hatch. Here on the east coast it is generally the Hendrickson mayfly. This year the weather has been insane. We get days where it hits 60 then the next day it is 30 degrees out. The water has barley had time to warm. The bugs have been hatching but the trout just haven't risen to the surface much. It comes in spurts when it happens for about 15 minutes and the rises will be sporadic. Needless to say, after a long winter we are waiting for regular weather. We were just pounded with rain last night. Upstate New York got over 300 inches of snow this year which is not a bad thing. Except at this point the rivers have been blown out for weeks. Yes you could fish some of them but how much time does one have to run from river to river and take care of other things. I'm not the only one in this boat as most of my other fly fishing friends have been chomping at the bit for some nice dry fly action.
Well hang in there I think it may be on its way as they have predicted Warmer weather in the next few days which may well bring off the bugs.
Preparing for these events is no easy task on a fly fisherman. One must tie bugs of all shapes and sizes and study a river system to find out what is hatching. http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/11/Mayfly-Ephemerella-invaria-Sulphur http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/458/Mayfly-Ephemerella-dorothea-Sulphur these should be the next mayfly hatch to watch for after the Hendrickson and quill Gordan, which may very well be done hatching in the next week or they may explode with the warmer weather this week. So be careful with the high water and be ready to chase fish because it is coming my friends I assure you!
If you fish like I do in the winter time, you have no choice but to nymph. When you first start nymphing it isn't so bad. I have never been one to be a purest to dry fly verses nymphing. There comes a point though were you want to see trout rising to dry flies. When I lived out west you would wait for the Salmon stone flies to start to hatch. Here on the east coast it is generally the Hendrickson mayfly. This year the weather has been insane. We get days where it hits 60 then the next day it is 30 degrees out. The water has barley had time to warm. The bugs have been hatching but the trout just haven't risen to the surface much. It comes in spurts when it happens for about 15 minutes and the rises will be sporadic. Needless to say, after a long winter we are waiting for regular weather. We were just pounded with rain last night. Upstate New York got over 300 inches of snow this year which is not a bad thing. Except at this point the rivers have been blown out for weeks. Yes you could fish some of them but how much time does one have to run from river to river and take care of other things. I'm not the only one in this boat as most of my other fly fishing friends have been chomping at the bit for some nice dry fly action.
Well hang in there I think it may be on its way as they have predicted Warmer weather in the next few days which may well bring off the bugs.
Preparing for these events is no easy task on a fly fisherman. One must tie bugs of all shapes and sizes and study a river system to find out what is hatching. http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/11/Mayfly-Ephemerella-invaria-Sulphur http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/458/Mayfly-Ephemerella-dorothea-Sulphur these should be the next mayfly hatch to watch for after the Hendrickson and quill Gordan, which may very well be done hatching in the next week or they may explode with the warmer weather this week. So be careful with the high water and be ready to chase fish because it is coming my friends I assure you!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
The soul of fishing and hunting
Well it has been some time since I posted. I'm looking to address some issues that have been going on. Having had to move back to the east coast has been trying in the least. finding a good job has been very hard these days. Working has taken up a lot of my time. So fishing has taken a back seat.
I have however gotten out there. My view of the fly fishing world has certainly changed over the past few years.
I have lived out west and seen some very interesting things. For me fly fishing isn't about catching numbers of fish it is about finding a piece of mind. I love to catch fish don't get me wrong. Working as much as I have been the last three years and not getting ahead has been very trying to say the least. So when I do get to fish I'm hunting for large fish and not numbers. The fact that I am out fishing in the outdoors and seeing the beauty of the landscape and getting away for a few hours has become priceless.
Even when I don't catch a fish I at least have some time to myself to enjoy not working. The past few weeks I have been doing what I can to set up to be able to bow hunt. This has been a trying ordeal to say the least. Setting up trees stands ,cameras and trying to maintain a 30 acre piece of property. there is little joy in busting your ass to try to get this stuff done just to be able to hunt for a few days in the bow season.
Why do it you ask? Well again it is for that time sitting in a tree stand being alone with nothing to worry about but a nice large buck to walk by. This is no easy thing to do to get a large white tale with a bow. It is the same with Spey casting for Steelhead. The fish of a thousand casts. Finding and hunting a 150 class+ white tail is no easy task. It takes countless hours of planning, sitting, and work.
I ask you what is it that makes you hunt or fish? Is it the number of fish you catch? Is that what makes you a big man, Or the number of deer you kill? It shouldn't be about that ,and it isn't for me. Sure sometimes I hunt for meat or for fish for it. I like to eat to. My point here is that you really have to look at why you actually do this. I have spent countless hours learning to tie flies ,countless hours shooting my bow to become the best shot I can. I do it all just to get away and be out there weather I catch fish or kill a deer. There are a few other matters I need to address as to my attitude toward some of what I have been seeing go on in the fly fishing and hunting world but we will save that for my next post . Till next time I will be keeping a buzzards eye view on you all.
I have however gotten out there. My view of the fly fishing world has certainly changed over the past few years.
I have lived out west and seen some very interesting things. For me fly fishing isn't about catching numbers of fish it is about finding a piece of mind. I love to catch fish don't get me wrong. Working as much as I have been the last three years and not getting ahead has been very trying to say the least. So when I do get to fish I'm hunting for large fish and not numbers. The fact that I am out fishing in the outdoors and seeing the beauty of the landscape and getting away for a few hours has become priceless.
Even when I don't catch a fish I at least have some time to myself to enjoy not working. The past few weeks I have been doing what I can to set up to be able to bow hunt. This has been a trying ordeal to say the least. Setting up trees stands ,cameras and trying to maintain a 30 acre piece of property. there is little joy in busting your ass to try to get this stuff done just to be able to hunt for a few days in the bow season.
Why do it you ask? Well again it is for that time sitting in a tree stand being alone with nothing to worry about but a nice large buck to walk by. This is no easy thing to do to get a large white tale with a bow. It is the same with Spey casting for Steelhead. The fish of a thousand casts. Finding and hunting a 150 class+ white tail is no easy task. It takes countless hours of planning, sitting, and work.
I ask you what is it that makes you hunt or fish? Is it the number of fish you catch? Is that what makes you a big man, Or the number of deer you kill? It shouldn't be about that ,and it isn't for me. Sure sometimes I hunt for meat or for fish for it. I like to eat to. My point here is that you really have to look at why you actually do this. I have spent countless hours learning to tie flies ,countless hours shooting my bow to become the best shot I can. I do it all just to get away and be out there weather I catch fish or kill a deer. There are a few other matters I need to address as to my attitude toward some of what I have been seeing go on in the fly fishing and hunting world but we will save that for my next post . Till next time I will be keeping a buzzards eye view on you all.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Kype in he yukon !
Since I'm a fan of Kype magazine and I dig most of Marc Crapos videos. Here is a little ditty from them. Check it out people http://vimeo.com/51230653
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Some of you may have seen Pat Cohens flies ,they are works of art. Stacked deerhair bass bug style. Yet he turns them into birds and fish with a flair.He has a new video out and here is a link to his page. http://www.rusuperfly.com/ If your interested in seeing how he woeks his magic go to his page.
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