Minturn Manglers

yes, that is milk, water and vodka

 My proper name is Robert. A grandmother, an angry mother and my middle school principle were about the only one's who ever used it though. I never really liked it.  The middle school principle took a pudding snack to the temple on my second day at catholic school, so for 2 years I understood why that beautiful woman called me Robert instead of Bob. For the first 13 years of my life the people I loved and trusted all referred to me as Bump. Apparently the blame went to my aunt Carolyn for addressing the baby shower gift to the "baby bump" cuz nobody knew what I was yet......a pain in the ass. The boys from Canisteo NY on a late 80's spring break whirlwind came up with Bubby. Not sure if it was Jimmy Davis, brother of Wiener, Snake, Fieldsy, AJ, Carnsy or Pete the Polish giant who came up with it, but that one stuck for a long time.

I come from a place where no one seemed to be called by their given name. Along about junior high someone would just give you a new one. I grew up with Tweety, Newbomb, Coach, Smitty, Smittie, Slider, Kermie, Gumby, Stiener and his brother Maze. There is Dunc, House, Tittle, Pie Man, Grover, the Big Cat, Smokey, Lurch, Sallie, the Mayor and EZ E. My parents never knew what to call anyone. Most of it came from sports fields and locker rooms growing up. Men's league hockey, softball and of course a life of hunting have also helped introduce me to quite a cast of characters, none worthy enough to be refered to by his true name I guess. All of this happened, for the most part 1800 miles away from my little mountain town here in Colorado.....basically another planet.

not worth trying anything like this right now.



My locker room of late has been Fly Shops and guide services. It's a freaking gold mine of quirky personalities and egos in a mildly competitive environment. It just seems easier to have a sir name in a business where everybody is in your business. We've got Jmac of course. Just a classic shortening of the last name. About the same as Zim, or as Sam calls him, "the Big Zim". Thats just because he's huge. I work for Arac and the Rattlesnake, with Fred Rodgers, Doc, Whit, LT Johnson, Magnum, Spock and Chef. I live with Kitty, Batman, Spiderman, Ironman, Kmart, Zip,Samson, Dooda and Monkey. Then theres the always entertaining Hate, Worries, Ms Whitey, Fudge, Panic, Ghost in the Darkness, Killer and the Author. But the single most incredible nickname and my favorite of the year is Snookie. To know him and call him this, even if it was just for a week was true fun. I wish he liked it better. No harm meant, just clean one victim fun, love you. Cudos to the Rattlesnake for coming up with it. Funny cuz Sprech hates his nickname and he went and gave someone one they dont like either....weird.


At the end of the day it seems best to look at a nickname as a form of acceptance. A way for a dude to tell ya he loves you or that your doing a great job without actually saying it. Going to battle or say on a long fishing trip and getting a nick name is a badge to be worn proudly. Sam might say its your superhero name, either way, we usually earn the nick name for kickin some form of ass, good or bad, right or wrong. So from Bobber and all the boys at "Minturn Manglers", heres hoping you get it done next year.

this bug sucks too.

Ab work

My post thanksgiving AB tip. Just tie abdomens for a few nights, finish the bug later. I find that most of my nymph bodies are superhair or a small vinyl rib, which means white thread under body and consequently a bobbin change. At that point it can be easier to tighten everything up with some head cement and set it aside for another evenings assembly line. My first 3 flies every time I sit and tie are horrible, so I have found tying a larger quantity ends up helping quality.

You didnt expect this to be about your gut did you?

Zim provided some awesome little D Rib in3 different colors at Thanksgiving. It stretches like no other rib I've used......nice. Thanks Zim.

Out for a stroll with Kit, the animals and J Knight x2. We decided it was actually harder to be the last angler on a section of water for the year than the first. We scrambled down the tracks into a canyon up stream from town but we were a few days late. Time to give the tracks and canyons to the snowmobiles for the season.  J Knight magically made one jump on his junk though....not really surprising.

Minturn Rocks. Just sayin

Hope everybody had a great begining to feast season, I know we did......deep fried frosted german chocolate brownies is all I can say. 

Winter Vise time

We finally have river front property, at least for the next 11 months. It's been fun to have the tying bag spilled out over an entire dining room again, creating crap for use in my back yard.

#20 PMD Nymph

#22 Purple Soft Hackle

Of course theres a bunch of eggs being tied and fished around here, but winter is about nymphing with midges and small Mayflys.

#24 Cream/Yellow Soft Hackle

Just some winter junk from my vise to yours. Big to do's around here for turkey day and I'm sure the "downtown" beat of the mighty Eagle will be harassed, so we will at least be able to tell you whats working in the backyard. Winter fishing is not such an unusual thing any more. Every ones favorite winter fishing spots have their own mood and temperament but the one thing they have in common is the food is small. Tying small is fun and it doesn't take long to whip up a nice pile of bugs for about 18 cents a piece. 

Americas Cup

Camp machete

So how about you are getting ready for a trip to your favorite stream and you get yourself an email from some dude by the name of Fips Mouche explaining the rules. Thats right, your passion now has a set of international rules and a governing body for fair competition. Enjoy your day, play by the rules and add up your points when your done. Here's the important stuff.

Leave your bobber at home. You can however follow the recipe for a super cool "curly cue" and if I heard correctly they stay all squiggly if you freeze them after you take them out of the oven.

No split shot, that's right Spreck this is where your fishing  life ends. Oh and to complicate things further, no exposed weight on your bugs larger than 4mm and stop ordering coneheads.


In line leaders only so forget the hook bend connections while your rigging your match the life cycle rig. Leave those tags on your knots thick and stiff so they dont end up married to your leader every 3rd cast. Tapered is now a thing of the past, you can now buy leaders by the spool in the big box fishing dept....I think its called Spider wire :-)

At some point during the day you will feel strangely compelled to fish a "boobie", "blob" or a Vlad condom worm.

Replace your teenie, tiny, tech patterns with split tails for a  small (#14) orange bead Hares ear. Dont worry if you cant find this stuff, the team has a tyer or two, just give them a call and put in your order.

Think in centimeters, carry 7 spools, 2 nets, and maybe swipe your kids old hockey gear for some knee protection.


Every 4th trip you have to go to a lake or a pond and fish down wind from a boat with a drouge.



Ready? Now keep track of your points and maybe you get a shot at representing this great country and making the team......Team USA. Congrats to this years fab 5 (3 from Colorado) which was named this week amidst a bit of controversy. Imagine that, drama in the fly fishing industry. Good lads here though even if they did leave a few high draft picks home.....good luck in what ever euro water park they hold this championship.

Shot gun start on Loch Sylvan

That's the world of competitive fly fishing (cliff notes) and every year I get a taste by helping out for 3 days or so at the America Cup here in Vail.  I have enjoyed meeting the different personalities an event like this gathers up  but also seeing how these guys operate and adapt with in a set of rules completely foreign to my game. Its opened my eyes to a few specific things.

*Presentation is king. These guys are seriously throwing some giant flies (in some cases) with bright bead heads on 3x tippet and catching boat loads of fish. We humorously refer to some of our three fly rigs as "Christmas trees" but seriously I think they plug some of this shit in at night. Concrete evidence that if it looks close enough to a snack, some fish will put it in its mouth.

*Long leaders. These guys are using some really long rigs all in an effort to get deep quick with less drag. Its easy to see more hook ups the further you get from your bobber....you just have to be quicker on the set. Not sure if its sink rate or a few Milli seconds of drag free drift but I am a believer.

* Drag. With no indicator these "all world athletes" rely heavily on drag, lift, swing and feel. Maybe I shouldn't bitch about mending so much.

There are lots of arguments against competitive fly fishing but at least what these guys are doing is actually fishing, its not a casting competition on the lawn of some foo foo resort.

Swingers

Had a little time on my hands this week so I thought I would put a care package together for Arac's steelhead adventure. Growing up on the great north coast these nuggets of love were some of my first ties....it all came back to me and I am sure they wont work. Popsicles and softhackles in size 8 for swingin with the spray pole took a touch longer than the  usual fare but it sure was fun. If I cant go at least some of my soldiers can. Swing away boss.......I want pictures.

Happy holloween !

Yeti sightings

Just a small chunk of Yeti Nation getting "ready" for a year ending company float. Fishing was moderate at best although every time Zim heaved Chinchilla something happened. One of those days when we should have fired something other than Ms Magnum Rabbit in brilliant sinshine.

Confusing isnt it.

2011 Product Reviews

Every morning I pack MY things up, rig MY rods, hook MY boat up to MY truck and pump gas on MY rubber debit card. This is the way it is in the fly fishing guide business, it's going to cost you $10 to make $8, thats life (still want to be a guide?). I've always said my 401K sucks but my doctor loves me......no stress, just broke and happy.

I had the pleasure of shooting a fishing show with Chad LaChance for  Fishful Thinker TV last March. During our day of completely fucking up the Roaring Fork we were able to talk about gear and how the industry takes care of guides......or doesnt. Baits come to his house on pallets and rods are delivered by the dozens, FREE. I have no animosity towards Chad, even if he does drive a sweet late model billboard for a guide vehicle.He's cool as they come and I'd fish with him anywhere...just jealous. Chads a bass fisherman, I'm a "fly guy". Apparently in the fishing business thats like comparing Nascar to professional Lacrosse, somebodys going broke for the love of it.

I've been endorsed before, by the Orvis company. They took great care of me and they still offer incredible deals to their endorsed guides, lodges and outfitters....I'm just not one of them anymore. So I am forced to pro form and beg from reps that supply the goods our shop sells. This year I went GREEN, as in the rod line has gone Sage and Winston. Someone swings a BIIIx for the day and theoretically they stop back and buy that beautiful weapon from the shop the next day and the shop gives you a little cut.......in theory. It took an act of god to get a free hat from Winston and the sticker Sage gave me has long since fallen off my boat. Take a note from Nascar boys and at least make your stickers hold up to the weather. I guess I dont care who I'm pissing off here. If I dont get my "deals" anymore I'll just do what most of America does now adays......Ebay baby.

In a past life I was working construction and one day a rep from a big tool company shows up with goodies. When it was all said and done my boss handed us all the goodness and explained they are more valuable in the hands of those who use them everyday. Do you really think Lowes remodels Rick Hendricks (team owner) house for free but charges Jimmy Johnson 40%? Dont think so. So why do Fly Fishing reps hand shop owners free stuff when most of the time they are on the water 60% less than their guides? I know, I know....there is only 4 shops in the world making any dough and nobodys livin in a mansion unless your a trust funder (Panic). But what good is that swag in the hands of somebody who fishes for fun more than with clients?

I dont really want to loose my 51.021% off status or piss guys off I actually like despite the fact they wouldnt buy me a coffee. So I feel compelled to give a few product reviews before I get fired. Winston rocks. Love the new BIIIx but who wouldnt.The new graphite series (GVX) is super cool and affordable. The Sage VXP is not the old XP but I like it lots for a nymph stick. Guarantee your products for life like Patagonia and you go to the top of the list. My waders, jacket and boots might be full of holes but at least I can send them back. Umpqua makes great bugs, Solitude gets them to me quicker. Tippet is tippet and Rio is my stuff, the versa leader has changed the way I streamer fish (John Knight will tell you they dont work with Dries though). The purple thingambobber is revolutionary and even Stevie Wonder can see it in low light. Floating fly line still sinks but that Sharkskin from SA does what they say and makes a cool noise.

There ya go, hopefully my next blog doesnt look like a resume.