2010 Fish of the Year

Well it’s pretty much taken me forever to complete all the changes to the new website. Even though it’s been “done” since early summer…I just can’t seem to get every little tiny thing finished I want. There are a bunch of fixes left to the shout outs page, the gallery and other small things here and there. With that said, I was able to get one thing done recently. I added a new header pic to the home page.

You may not know this, but many of you have a small connection to the huge brown below. The guy holding it won the Mountain Khakis Sweepstakes I did last year with the resort.  To make a long story short, of the 4,000 entries (he entered via my boys over at moldy chum), Cory won a vacation at the resort, some killer gear form our friends at Sage, SA, Bug Slinger and a half day guide trip with yours truly. The icing on the cake was, his wife surprised him with a second guide day…and day two did not disappoint. Not only where they two of my best guide days of the year, but this amazing 24” brown is my personal best client fish. It also happened to be Cory’s biggest brown ever as well.

Down the road I’ll post a report with all the pics, and all the fish, but I figured I would show off this big boy for ya’ll to see.  I’m gonna see Cory up in Bend in a few weeks while on the road with the film tour, and I’m sure one of the first we’ll be talking about is this kyped faced male.

Heron

New Header.

Taped at 24!

Face.

Aqua Shot.

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2011

Well it’s the end of January and that can only mean one thing, the 2011 Fly Fishing Film Tour is about to kick off across the country.  I’ve been fortunate to be involved with the tour since the end of 2007, and have had some of the best fishing and job memories of my life while livin’ on the road. This year I’ll be hitting up the west coast, part of the Rockies and the southwest…so no doubt I’ll be updating the blog while on the road over the next several months.  Check out this year’s schedule at http://www.thef3t.com and hit up a show if you can. With the best films in the world, some ridiculous raffle giveaways from Sage, SA, Patagonia, Costa Del Mar… and a hand full of free goodies, you can’t go wrong.

A few goodies from this years care package

New this year, Stonefly the Magazine

As I get ready for this years tour, I can help but reminisce about some of the great times on the road with some really good friends. It would be impossible to put all the pics up, but here are a few highlights from life on the road.

Dasboard Drake.

Rowdy, how we do.

St. Patties at the river who's name we do not speak

Thad with a New Zealand'ish brownie

Beat up Buck

Four wheelin' and shootin' in the deserts of Utah

Chuckin' Loops in DT San Fran

Packed house in Bozeman, shocker.

2011 F3T Poster

With Brian and JJ chasin' baby schoolies in VA

Bug Slinger Sale Room

Good buddy and Bug Slinger creator, Rob McAbee just added a few killer threads to the sale room to make room for new lineup this Spring.  Check it out…it’s hard to go wrong with a $17 tee. Trout Hugger? Don’t mind if I do.

Sale Room...click it.

                       

I Love Brookies.

Sea King Vapor Doin' Work on Castro's Island

The Hats and Hoodies Aren't That Bad Either

Thank you Dave Stanley...

For those of you that don’t know, the Reno Fly Shop closed its doors after 30 years of providing the Reno/Tahoe area with a first class retail and guiding business.  Owner Dave Stanley has been one of the most highly respected “industry guys” I’ve ever known and all of us that work and or guide for Dave I know will say the same. The shop even won retailer of the year a while back.

All though I never actually worked for the shop, Dave was willing to give me a shot as an independent guide, and added me to one of the most well respected guide crews in the country. Even being a very part time guide, putting most of my time and energy into classes at the resort, the mutual relationship could not have worked out better for both sides (esp. me!) over the last five years.

Even with the doors of the shop being closed, Dave will continue to run the education, travel and guiding side of the biz….lucky for us all!

Thanks Dave.

PS- On my last visit to the shop, I was able to pick up a few goodies that will look great on the wall of my Fly Fishing Center from a few of the sponsors…even a few old school goddies from Sage.

Dave with a back yard Brown

Shop goodies, including one killer night light for the bathroom

Part of the Fly Fishing Center, awaiting new wall candy

I'm a blogger...

After countless years of talking about having a blog, I've finally decided to jump on the blogger bandwaggon. From here on out you can expect to see all kinds of posts relating to my fly fishing life style. It may be trip reports, gear reviews, updates on my classes and clinics, industry info, pictures...really anything. I have a fun weekend coming up with some winter tailwater fishing, the ISE show in Sac, an all you can eat crab bake, and even a new movie premier, so I figured why not start now. As for my first post...short and simple. See you on the water.

Heron

Fall '10, Trinity River...Adipose, check.