A winter window of opportunity must first present itself, and that in itself is infrequent. You have to recognize it and take advantage of it, not piddle or second-guess the eye test. Table other planned activities, postpone chores, and grasp the situation. Everything will wait, as always. The windows don't stay open long anyway. Prioritize.
I wake up to bright sunshine and a forecast of above freezing daytime highs. To-do lists will wait. In minutes I have rods, reels, flies, pack, and some layers in the truck and we're rolling to the river. The window now is about 10:30 to 4, more or less. I've been awaiting this window for a few days with an ulterior motive.
You see, a few years back I built an 8 foot 4 weight rod on a Pacific Bay "IM-6 Tradition" blank. I've enjoyed it off and on, and put it to more use this fall. A few weeks ago I bought some other Pac Bay IM6 blanks and built two more, one on a 1.1 oz. Chinese "Tradition II" blank , and another on a US made 1.3 oz. "IGF" blank. Pac Bay markets them all as "IM6," so I wanted to see what the differences might be, if any. Now is my window. It would be bad karma and form to build two new fly rods and then just put them both in a case, unfished, for the whole damn winter.
I built both with REC cigar grips that I've always found comfortable, Snake brand guides, and REC nickel silver reel seats that go back to the first custom rod I ever owned. That was a J. A. Bradford 8 1/2 foot 5 wt. graphite he made me in the mid-80's, once again at the advice of John and A.K. "Oh, wait 'till ya cast one of these, they're almost like bamboo, and they're just gorgeous." It was, and that rod had REC hardware top to bottom.
So today I discover the two 8 foot 4wt. Pac Bay blanks are night and day different, but in a good way. I could probably fish a whole season with the two of them and have everything covered comfortably, from creeks to streamers. As a bonus, there was an all-day bwo hatch, the sun stayed warm and bright, my hands stayed warm, and I caught fish with both rods. A perfect November window handed to me, recognized, prioritized, and opened.
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| The leaves are gone now, and the recent snows have melted where the canyon opens up enough for the midday sunlight. |
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| She's a little breezy ahead of the next front, but fishable and not at all frigid. |
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| Straight down river left holds fish shoulder to shoulder, as far as the eye can see. |
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| Enough tiny blue wings to necessitate using larger duns and emergers so both the fish and I can find them among the naturals. |
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| This beautiful plum-colored blank is a dead-ringer for an old Sage Lightline. This one has slight gun characteristics, to my surprise. A light weight gun. Definitely as fast as a graphite III 4711-LL , and probably a little faster. It's going to be a great big-river, bigger-bug rod. PMD's, caddis, Mahoganies, terrestrials, all the usual stuff. Softer tip but some real backbone for an 8' 4wt. The fastest IM6 I've ever held, but a pleasant "fast." Love the cigar grip. |
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| This one is just a little sweetheart. My first impression is that it matches the flex of the Orvis Superfine series. Kind of like my Far and Fine, only it's lighter in hand being a designated 4 wt. I fish 3 weights at Livingston and Silver Creek, but this one will be right at home on those creeks. I fished it with a WF4, but I have no doubt it will cast a 3 very well. I did get some distance with the 4. She flexes all way down. |
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| Oh ya, I caught some trout too. Lots and lots of those little rainbows up. Everywhere. I'm guessing most of the bigger browns were either doing their thing on some gravel, or just not interested in messing with #22 baetis in a breeze. I managed a few though. |
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| Heading back home, closing the window in time to see and dodge all the deer instead of hitting one. I've never tired of this iconic view of Sheep Creek Bay, where I still earn my fly rod money. It's got nothing to do with "need" you know. |
