IN THE LOOP

Argentina Weekly - Week III

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:31:00 +0000

Argentina Weekly - Week III
Estancia Las Buitreras
by Claudio Martin

The arrival of good friends from the UK known to us as “The Baker Group” marked the beginning of our third week of season 2010. For Michael, Martin, David, Derek and Richard it was neither their first time, nor the second one… actually not even close to that.

(Burning Sky at Bridge Pool)

It was their 10 season on the Gallegos… quite a remarkable record and certainly much experience reached as a result of it. For Val, first time chasing silvers in south Argentina, the challenge didn’t look much as he started in his first session with a fresh 15 pounder out of Golfo, a large slow-water, fish-holding pool, where he happened to be after following Bakers usual “week rotation scheme” with Martin as the responsible one for arranging it that let them fish around in even number of sessions in the different beats as well as fishing with different partners equal number of times. Still sometimes the scheme didn’t really work, and mostly when some unknown person tricked the others by changing the real scheme for a fake one… confusion reigned in the room and arguments took place until the truth finally came out.

(Richard - Double Spey)

El Henrik (Pool) delivered, like it normally does, and this time in favor of Richard who managed to get not only a 21 pounder but also followed with an 18 pounder, both on Buitreras top secret fly (meaning a regular Bitch Creek nymph!).

(Chrome on the run)

By Monday noon there were already 20 sea trout caught and a big part of that had double figures… still things got tougher later on in the week making the group use all their experience plus the help of the guides team to figure out the best approach and how to succeed on this task. The wind didn’t make things any easier either, gusting up to 100+ km/h (60m/h – 28m/sec)

(David´s mean male machine)

In contrast to this the average size keeps rising and we hit new records. This Rugby ball-shaped fish are without any doubt feeding very well out in the sea. The best example was Mike’s biggest fish of the week, caught on a session when none of the other zones produced, pulling 22lbs on Juan Manuel’s scale.

(Mike´s 22pounder)

In addition to the fishing a very much anticipated event took place once again at the lodge: the guitar duel. Derek started the session with Animal’s “The House of the Rising Sun”, a Buitreras favorite, and kept amusing his friends and the staff with some great songs that we all followed and enjoyed. On the side of the locals Juan Manuel performed a part of his wide répertoire showing off once again his talent as singer.

(JuanMa lost in music)

Finally, our dear British friends topped it off by performing their own version of Eagle’s “Hotel California” for the staff, where phrases based on the few mishaps, the guides and kitchen team and words in Spanish like “pelado”(Spanish for baldie) got mixed up along the beat to make everyone laugh.

(Male Chromer)

We’ll be looking forward to next year to see our friends again casting flies out into the wind and singing along and playing guitar, maybe some of many things that make Las Buitreras a magic place.

(Estancia)

Claudio Martin – Las Buitreras Camp Manager

Number of Rods: 6

Total Nr of Fish: 48 sea trout

Top Rod: Richard Bright (UK) with 13 fish.

Top Pool: Upper Limit & Peso Ligero

Top Fly: Yellow Tummy #8 + Bitch Creek #8

Biggest Fish: 22lb (Michael Baker)

Average Size: 11,1lb

Las Buitreras - Rods Available

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:35:00 +0000

Rods Available!
by Stephan Dombaj

"Close your eyes, feel the breeze in your face, the gras touching your fingertips, the heavy aroma of soil - born out of wind and fire. Let´s take a walk down the river and it´s endless colors. Listen to the spirit of Argentina..."

(Private Estancia Las Buitreras)

Chasing chrome, that´s what it´s all about. Prepare yourself for a lifetransforming fishing trip in the south of Patagonia where the strongest and meanest chromers are waiting for your fly. Be part of a breathtaking trip to the roots of our addiction. Check your schedule, then block your days off for 2010. These rods are still available:

13-20 feb - 2 rods
6-13 march - 4 rods
13-20 march - 2 rods
20-27 march - 2 rods
3-10 april - 4 rods

Live-Feed on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/looptackle

For further information:
travel@looptackle.se

(The Staff)

(Chromer)

>Report<

Bad Guys Fish The Night - Las Buitreras

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:18:00 +0000

Bad Guys Fish The Night - Las Buitreras
Story about Cojones
by Stephan Dombaj

I never though it would be that hard to sit right in front of my notebook and write about fishing although I could be fishing right now. Typing these letters here is a real quest for me, especially since we are talking about not some sort of pond or urban stream... One of world´s most renown seatrout-waters, the Rio Gallegos, located in southern Patagonia is literally just a few steps away from the estancia. I know you are going to hate me for that but I am going to stay here the whole season...

(Sunset behind - Seatrout ahead)

Maybe it´s a relief for you to hear that I got to do some work here in the dirty south. The photographers from sports illustrated know exactly what I mean when I say: It´s a hard job but someone...you know the rest. Working the weekends and the nights can be tough... especially in this case. Claudio, Las Buitreras Camp Manager and head guide, told me that there´s a new cut bank-pool just around the bend of a major holding pool (Loop Hole) Still unnamed since no one slammed a Chromer out of it, either because it possibly no holding spot or because Loop Hole is just around the bend so they never really tried. New pool, unnamed and without fish so far. Jesus! Do I have to go on?

(Rio Gallegos - Seatrout-legend)

Chance of a lifetime! Entitling a Gallegos-Pool! The only thing I had to do is catch a chromer... Time for a plan. Either LOOP´s Gass 6120 or 693 Opti Coast, C/I Shootinghead (depends on the Combo) + 0,29mm Runningline + 13ft+1 1/2ft leader and tippet. Fly for the win: Hot cone Spey Bugger with Grizzly Rubber legs tied on TMC 777SP. Thou shall be slamming chrome! Amen. Beyond all theories I really had to check out the water. No watermarks, no m³/sec - just a little walk along the shore.

(Strippin´off)

I love Chromers. Fat-ass, strong, silverish migratory salmonides. But I really adore Gallegos Browntrout's! Every single scale of them. I simply can´t get enough of them and they can´t get enought of giant hoppers: Miss Knobby X for the win! Of course I had to carry a 5weight Loop Yellow Line II (rigged up with an OptiStream WF5F on a CLWC) with me - just in case that something is really stupid enough to rise in a radius of a mile when I am around with a deadly pattern tied and approved in New Zealand.

(Gallegos treasures)

On the way downstream to the section I got a couple of fish rising for this pattern so that it was almost dark when I arrived the unnamed pool. For some strange reason I exactly knew what was going to happen... I changed the leader for a 14ft with 0,22mm tippet... While I was opening my flybox a fish showed up close to the cutbank. Chromers ahead, head&tailing just a few meters away from my position. My welcome present was a Hotcone Spey-Bugger with Rubberl egs. Almost dark and wind picked up rapidly but anyway I managed to hit the spot. Long drift with a floating line to get the the fly down and dirty.

(Amen)

Full contact swing. Forget everything around, the only thing that counts now is something that is really hard to explain. It´s that feeling that takes over when you feel the current in the line, when you know that your fly swings just into the right spot, when you know that everything you are aiming for is waiting for something to pass by just under that specific bubble line... It´s a good feeling! You know that it ain´t no trout, it´s the silver flash, the leaper or simply one of the meanest motherfuckers of the collective of all freshwater fish.

(Prince Beadhead with RL tied on Mustad R90)

Focusing on every on every movement, I started to retrieve my fly. Slow and even. A splash on the surface that simultaneously leads to a violent pull in my line. Stripstrike! Connected! The semitransparent reel gets into serious troubles. Left-handed version hits me on the wrong turn. But right now I don´t give a damn f*ck about it. Jump and run, jump and run... silver bullet is heading downstream. Although I am using a 5 weight I can feel that this is a big fish. The current is too strong to land it here so I move a few steps downstream. Headshakes and heavy pumps hit the butt section of my rod - hell yeah, now we are talking. After a couple of minutes it´s almost done. I am moving backwards, trying to beach that bull. Got it...

(Chromer!)

84cm length - 52cm girth (according to the calculator: 7,95kg) - taken on a tiny yellow trout rod, a dry line and a streamer. A few quick selfportraits and some fucked up night shots with a gorillapod and mama is back on its way to the spawning grounds. Mission accomplished! Some of you may think that I have missed the chance to set myself a monument by calling the pool El Steph or something like that. I have to disagree! We named it "COJONES"... and I guess you know what that means!

Some shots

(Bridge-Pool)

(Hernan: Trinas Bugger for the win)

(Gridle Bug Chromer)

(Claudio and the guys from Mountain Media)

(Richard Pt.I)

(Blast a cast)

(Wild horses)

(Prepare for the darkness)

Argentina Weekly - Week II

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Argentina Weekly - Week II
by Claudio Martin

Week 2 started on Saturday as usual with the new group’s arrival at Rio Gallegos City International Airport. There were three things that marked this week: the presence of two different film crews, lost luggage and rolling fish teasing us in every major holding pool, still “showing fish” is not necessarily a sign of “taking fish” and it demanded hard work from all to accomplish it.

(Henke rippin´lips)

The highly expected arrival of Swedish fishing legend and book author Gunnar Westrin completed the group with a mixture of Americans, Swedish, British and one Australian angler, Dr. Paul Gibson, 2^nd timer at Las Buitreras.

(The group)

Mountain Media® from Sweden and Hooked on Fly Fishing® from the US followed some of the groups along the week as the chase for big sea runs was on!

(Chromer)

In the middle of the week partying took place at Las Buitreras for the Birthday of Mr Loop himself, Christer Sjöberg (aka Don Chrillo), who was turning 35 years old – according to him, of course!– but certainly feeling 25 in heart and soul.

For our great friend Howard Evans, the beginning of the week wasn’t quite what he was expecting, and it involved the loss of his luggage and the later consequences: i.e. having to wear the same summer shirt he put on the morning he left his home, over and over again; and the fact that the underwading equipment provided by his former dear friend and top guide from Las Buitreras, El Pollo, was a bit too tight. Someone called this an “accident”… then unfortunately for the rest of us, it’ll be hard to erase that image from our minds.

(Release)

Angler David Moore, who also went through the same, finding himself without his bags at the arrival airport had whatsoever no “unpleasant surprises” on the equipment provided and always available at Loop-Las Buitreras Lodge.

(Juan Manuel with a happy client)

Howard’s temporary loss of luggage had a good side. We were able to put in his hands Loop’s world class Shooting Head System for double handed rods, a tool he found very helpful for managing the existing conditions. Having become a very good caster throughout the years fishing this river, plus counting on the right set up and being ready to follow every instruction the guides had, helped him become the Top Rod of this Week, with 13 fish and a personal average size of 11,2 lb.

(18pounds)

Happily for both of them by the second day the bags were not only found but immediately taken to its owners. Everything was safe and sound.More big fish were coming in and before finishing the first half of the week there were already some important double figure fish on the book, like Swedish guest Lars Ivarsson’s 20 pounder to show the year-after-year improvement of the quality of this river and its fish.

New Yorker Dean Mades also had his share on flights issues, starting with a 24 hr delayed flight, followed also by the temporary loss of his luggage and the late arrival to the beginning of his journey, at Jurassic Lake. Catching up quickly with the rest later on in Las Buitreras and using his experience learnt from Canada’s Atlantic Salmon and other migratory fish to conquer the sea run browns…Even though the final number of caught fish wasn’t that great the week concluded with big smiles among the faces of our guests who’ve achieved once again the challenge of catching these explosives but yet timid, chrome beauties.

Claudio Martin – Las Buitreras Camp Manager.

Number of Rods: 9
Total Nr of Fish: 55 sea trout (over 5lb)
Top Rod: Howard Evans (UK) with 13 fish.
Top Pool: Golfo and Upper Limit
Top Fly: Yuk Bug #6 + Blk Wooly Bugger #8
Biggest Fish: 22lb (Chris Travis – Hooked on FF)
Average Size: 11,4lb

Fight The Elements

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:13:00 +0000

Fight The Elements - 3 Months Patagonia
by Stephan Dombaj

"Hola to all Guerillas around the globe!
I am glad to announce too you that I am going to leave Europe behind. Well, at least for 3 months starting Januar 2010. During this time I will be assisting the guys from Loop´s Private Estancia Las Buitreras in Rio Gallegos/Argentina as an assisting host/campmanager, journalist and instructor. Beside world reknown Rio Gallegos and Jurassic Lake fishery I am looking forward to explore Patagonia´s remote areas. Meet me in Argentina. Experience a trip of your lifetime. Fishing the andean Patagonia region is always harshly tinched be the ancient spirit of this region that is bourn out of fire and wind. Take a step on this ground and you´ll feel the deepest greatfullness overcome. Like every usual, I´ll keep you updated with week-reports. Be part of the party or stay tuned for some more action...

Tight Lines,
Stephan Gian Dombaj"

(Argentina approved)

Here are some dates for available rods:

13-20 feb - 2 rods
6-13 march - 4 rods
3-10 april 4 rods
10-17 april 4 rod

Contact via:
travel@looptackle.se

(Rio Gallegos beauty)

(Jurassic Lake)

Addition:

Guys, check out this Email adressed to Don Chrillo himself. As I said before... it´s hard to describe but it´s the truth:

"DEAREST CHRISTER AND SJOBERG FAMILY..

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS... AND A HEALHTY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR..!!!

I am Just back from the Jurasic Lake, Dec 9 thru 12...After arrival around 4 in the afternoon, I fished for about 4 hours... and caught 35 .. fish...!!! NO WIND...!! The next day... weather was UNUSSUAL WARM, and WINDLESS..!!! I fished, DRY FLIES... in the Pool...( the back of the " island" facing the camp... ) was the most awesome dry fly fishing on my life...!! by noontime, I had counted total of 76 fish ..LANDED !! The afternoon, after lunch, was the river time.... by 4pm in the afternoon, had completed the number 100 ...!!!By the end of the day ... I had counted 120 fish.... alll fish were in the double digits...!!The next day... our last day... was a more selective fishing, totalling 167 fish in two and a Half days of fishing..!!!AWESOME..!!!TWO FISH WERE over 22 pounds plus, one male and one female.... have the TV Tape and Pictures of this wonderful trip.... MY FIFTH TRIP TO THE JURASSIC... counting the days and hours to return in March or April....!!!WARM REGARDS, FOR YOU YOUR WIFE & DAUGHTER... FOR YHIS XMAS...!!!
Your Friend
JORGE"

(Get bend)

(Double-Double Digits)

Stealin' Minnows

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:22:00 +0000

Stealin' Minnows - Big Bones and Mermaids

by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Stefan & Alexander Haider

Big Pelicans hammering down like a bomb carpet. Thirthy in a row. An incredible spectacle indeed, but I am focusing on something else and these pelicans are the indicator. My illuminated advertisment that is praising big fucking bonefish. My ticket for the ultimate run on a flyrod...it´s just a few casts away!

(Bones)

Excitment is taking over. A pelican just in operating distance get´s in trouble... Street-Gang: A couple of Bonefish are trying to rob paralysed minnows out of it´s mouth. They literally force the pelicans to share their prey by pokeing them. Especally bigger fish are quite vehement. They kill everything that falls out of the pelicans mouth if it just fit´s into the prey-scheme. Quest, present your minnow as close as you can to the pelican...

(Street-Gang: Minnow robbery)

If you come close without an accidential pelican-hookup don´t dare to move your fly too much. Just let sink, nice and neat, keep the contact until something on the other end of the line decides to get you into serious troubles. As I said upon, also big bones are used to penetrate these birds for an easy lunch. Especally when sightfishing is for some reason impossible, the birds will show you the prey and if you are lucky... they´ll also lead you to bonefish.

(Searching for something to pierce)

(Perpare...)

Sun is painting everything in a tinch of orange - an unmistakable sign for dinnertime. I am perpared. And here we go again...

(In range...)

(Nervous pelican)

(Jerk-off time!)

Presentation right infront of the bird. Big fish twiching out, following... following with it´s back out of the water. Sweet marry of mercy, this bonefish want´s the minnow so bad... a few more strips and the fish nails the fly away like burying it with it´s nose into the sandy ground. Stripstrike! Contact! Good fish...

( Fish turns...that´s bad)

Instead of leaving this planet by running it´s tails of in direction of the sun, this fish turns by and starts off in parallel to the beach - passing several anchorlines meanwhile. Must be a good one. No useless rushing...this fucker knows how to get rid of my fly. But guess what, Mr. Bone is not the only one swimming...

(Sunset Rush)

Busy with fighting the fish, untangleing anchorline and worrying about my leader. But somehow I managed to get some line back. Shortpumping, holding the fish away from obstacles, another run... not that intense. It´s not over yet and I don´t dare to get a picture with that rocket until I hold it. I don´t care: Pressure to the max. Last line untangled. Time to finish this...

(Dinner is served: Bonefish with salad)

(K@#O%!)

(Racoon & Bonefish)

(Releasing the rocket)

(...to fight another day)

(8 pounder is swimming away)

(Pt.II)

Hard to explain but sometime i catch myself thinking that the second the fish leaves your hands and swims away is the most precious moment in flyfishing. Nothing lasts longer than the memory... not even the fish population that is, in spite of catch and release, still rapidly decreasing.

Story Of A Mermaid

Ambushing beach-bonefish is also a quite productive way to see/catch legendary mermaids. Ah, you don´t believe me, do you? Well, check this pictures out.

Running Down The Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:16:00 +0000

Running Down The Beach
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Stefan & Alexander Haider

Imagine, you are standing on a lonesome island. Nothing but endless bluetones of water infront of you, brilliant white sand under your feet and a couple coconut palms behind you to round up the cliché. While you are glancing into the endless blue, almost forgetting that this is soo real, the firm grip your flyrod reminds you of your quest. Running down the beach… up and down – losing your breath, swearing, getting up and once again.

(Are you ready?)

You would rip off your right legs just to get connected to the unseen force that was killing minnows in a feeding frenzy just a second ago. Here we go… 30 Meters away: Windsprints...too slow. Damn! Tunas, Jacks, Kingmackerel or Flacktail-Snapper? You can’t tell, but it’s raging out there and you wont be happy until everything comes together…

(Bonitos and Jacks killing baitfish)

Another baitball - restless eyes have found their nirvana. And your urge a ventile. Still too far away from the bank. Time to strip off and swim!

(Double-Trouble)

(Baaang)

(Smallie)

(Pop-out! FUCK!)

(Still watching...)

(Garite and small Horse-Eyes)

(Grunting Jack)

Bonitos out of range! Swim for the win...the swarm is passing by... my fly inbetween. A little twich and a massive impact leaves a deep inpression in form of a fleshwound in my finger. That´s passion unleashed! Let´s get it on! Stunning to see the spinning reel losing backing: Meter for meter. 20 Meters left and the fish slows down. Sweet merry mother of mercy!

(Swim for the win. Backing run!)

It´s almost impossible to both comprehend and explain how strong these fish are. They have just one goal... reaching the horizon! After endless 5 minutes...the reward!

(Bright Bonito)

(Tuna-Eyes)

(...)

But for real, even if there´s no fish around... things could be worse:

(Our office)

(Guides)

Tarpon Madness - The Baitball

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:07:00 +0000

Tarpon Madness - The Baitball
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Stefan & Alexander Haider

It´s just one cast away: The fulfillment of a dream. Pelicans are running crazy, Tarpon - all sizes - rolling everywhere, Horse-Eye-Jacks and Snapper inbetween. I am holding my breath, but the sound of thousand predators killing minnows still remains. Now that we are soo close I don´t dare to pick up my rod. I am cleaning up my lenses to secure this moment forever.

(Killing Minnows)

The first sunrays are hitting the clouds upon as we are cruising into direction of our hotspot. Easy to see, the crowd of birds is already hailing down to slam into the endless masses of baitfish. The water is boiling. Time to get nervous.

(Early morning...)

(Blast a cast)

Feeding fish everywhere! Here are some shots:

(Tarpon close to the boat)

(Feeding frenzy)

(Pt.II)

(Good 15kg fish)

(Another single)

(Fins)

(Fins Pt.II)

(Tarpon Madness)

(Three juveniles crushing into minnows)

(A Horse-Eye-Jack chasing bait)

(The Bait - The Fake)

Ready for some action! As we don´t see the big ones crushing into the center of the baitball but gathering around at the edge of the happening we decide to leave the frenzy behind. Tought decision but it worked out. Stefan took the 10weight OptiSalt and after a few blindcasts the lines straightend up. Stefan nails via flyline and the leaper appears... Almost losing my breath I pick up the camera.

("No strippin´!" Searching for big singles)

(Action!)

(Still running...)

(The leaper appears)

(Supersized)

(Bow for...)

(the king!)

The howling reel complains about the loss of backing as the tarpon tries to reach the horizon. Stefan maximizes the pressure. The fish turns and it´s time for the good old down and dirty game!

(Megaloop)

(Ready for some bends)

(Now it´s getting nasty)

(180 degrees)

(Silver King)

(Landing? No!)

(Static Warfare)

(...)

(What a powerfull tail)

(Landing)

20Minutes after hookup and endless down and dirty warfare, we get a chance to get it into flat water. Alex is already waiting for his turn. Just a few more moments and an epic battle is yet over...

(Fish and Salad...the dinner is served)

(What a head)

(His Majesty is pissed of...)

(BIG MOTHERFUCKING FISH!!!)

(BANG!!!)

(70Pounds)

(Silver body armor)

(Just perfect)

Fish is landed. Stefan and Alex are holding his majesty gently in shallow water. The perfect and giant scales are sparkling almost too bright to be true. After a couple pics, Alex and Stefan are releasing the fish. Stefan´s perfect birthday present!

A teaser for the next LOOP MAGAZINE!

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Johansson) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:12:00 +0000

Photographer: Yngve Ask. scanout.com
Fly Fisherman: Christer Sjöberg
Location: Cuba - Cayo Las Bruja – Cayo Santa Maria
More pictures?: Nordic Flyfishing

/Martin

Hot shot from Cuba...

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Johansson) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:42:00 +0000

... with focus on the LOOP! Photographer? Yngve Ask, ofcourse!
More pictures are soon coming up on this blog and @ www.nordicflyfishing.com
/Martin

Giant Carp Quest II

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:26:00 +0000

The Giant Carp Quest 2nd. Day| 40pound + On Fly
2 Days Rod´n Reel Torturing
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Matthias Burget &
Nikolai Prietl

Make sure that you don´t miss the first part. Click here to get some more information!

Our last chance for the big bang and the forecast was a mess: Rain, Hail, Harsh Wind and Thunderstorms - Sun in between and time is running. A dark front at the horizon sets a deadline of a couple of hours untill thunder and lightning makes the handling of a carbon rod even more thrilling. Far more complicated than the weather situation is the simultaneous atmospheric pressure drop off, what leads to a feeding stop - from one moment to another. The air bladder is responsible for this phenomenon since it’s highly affected by this sudden drop off - it makes carp feel unwell. Anyway, the quiet before storm wasn’t quite at all since carps went nuts! Good chance for a 40 pounder?

(First fish of day II)

(A real fighter!)

(Greenback)

(Need a landing-net for this one)

(First attempt)

(2nd. attempt - WOOHHHA!)

(Safe!)

(Old fish with giant fins)

(...)

(Get away...)

(Yeah, Baby!)

After a couple of "smaller" steroid-bulls, Niko got in serious trouble... he hooked something really big from the drift boat. I pushed the "rec-button" and took some pictures meanwhile. The situation was tense since we all knew that this fish could be the fish we were all aiming for: The Holy Grail, the big Mama! Check this unique footage out:

(Driftboat for the win)

(Niko gently lifts the monster!)

(OMG, it´s in the net!)

We all were very eager to see if this fish could break the barrier! It was just massive -the best word to describe this perfect giant fat ass monster carp! I taped the weight-in: Exactly 18kg...
18 Kilogram = 39.68321 Pound - 150gr left for the win!!! 150GRAMMS!!! Congratulations Brother... this fish is for sure one of the biggest ever documented carps on a fly rod!

(18 Kilogramm = 39.68321 Pounds)

(Fat belly)

(Giant head)

(What a fish)

(See you soon... at least 150gr heavier)

150gr... that’s the weight of the little word "almost". Actually not even worth talking about it, just a little scratch on the surface of perfection, but in this case it means everything. We could easily round the weight off to reach the barrier but the bad taste would still remain. Don’t get me wrong... this fish is perfect, a mark that is very hard to break, but if you are just an eyelash away from your goal that you set yourself... you know... Niko rose the bar! We all realised that the average size increased rapidly and the last fish was a irrepressible evidence that some big fat crackers were feeding actively!

(Deep wading - big fish)

(Steriod bull)

(Release)

(Rain beginns to fall)

Our time ran off, just a few minutes after we had reached a shelter the wet apocalypse crushed down. Seriously, it felt like a massive wipe-out. Branches, uprooted trees, blown away tents - a picture of destruction. It was still raining after the first thunderstorm passed by, when I got back into the water; assuming that the muddy water along the shoreline must be a prefect feeding spot.

(Niko and Matthias are fishing the shoreline)

A quite bright GloBug with a tinny indicator should do a good job under these conditions. It was absolutely impossible to see some movement or any hind of active fish. Anyhow, I blindly decided to present my pattern close to a submersed structure that had produced some good fish before. Just a few seconds passed by until the indicator disappeared. Still wondering about the quick reaction something underneath glazed the surface by a simple flap of its fin. OMG that must be a real pig!

(Seriously Dude, that´s a real pig!)

The first run was unhurried but constant - almost deliberate! Oh yeah, that was my chance and the quote was on my site since the the air pressure and the oxygen level in the water were decreasing simultaneously due to the thunderstorm. Long story short, considering this circumstances it shouldn’t be as hard as it’s supposed to be. The fish came up the first time and I was almost pissing my pants as I realized that this is the stuff we were looking for... and I was damn sure! Check this unique footage:

(Lifting the submarine)

(Landing a giant)

(OMG)

(Incredible Body Mass Index)

(Weight-In Time)

(19KG!!! - MISSION ACCOMPISHED)

19KG = 41.88783 Pound. Take that, Nemesis!!! I lost 3 fish of that range before during the last 4 years. 41pounds - almost 42pounds, sweetest revenge. Maybe the biggest carp on fly in my life - overwhelming. I need a drink.

(See you soon greenback)

(Pt.II)

There was nothing more to say. That´s why we shut the fuck up and continued fishing in the rain. Both Pontoon and Shore fishing was overwhelming. Seeing the orange mouth right in the middle of disturbed water...casting the fly right at the feeding fish... awesome! Here’s a compilation of pics how the day went on:

(Pontoon fishing)

(Niko fights a nice fish)

(Double action)

(Matthias kicks ass)

(Niko´s turn)

(Busted...on the ant)

(Tryin to land a fish)

(Good stuff)

(Yeah!!!)

(Fight back)

(Tight Lines)

The Giant Carp Quest

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:38:00 +0000

The Giant Carp Quest 1st. Day | 40pound + On Fly
2 Days Rod´n Reel Torturing
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Matthias Burget &
Nikolai Prietl

A passion is always a walk on a tightrope, if you take it too far it tends to become an obsession. Well, I have to admit... I am pretty obsessed... obsessed by the thought of slamming down a carp of more than 40 english pounds on a tiny silly flyrod. Fortunately there was another guy who was crazy enough to give it a serious try. Nikolai Prietl, member of Loop´s Austrian Pro Team, a headguide of guidepool.at/live (best service for flycarp tours in Europe) and a real carp crack just like me...

(Intro)

Location: The Location was the cracking point because it's for sure the most important part of that whole quest. The chance of hitting an appropriate spot is rapidly decreasing if one may consider a flyfishermen´s requirement. During our last carp trips we were trying to figure out all necessary requirements and unlike coarse fishermen we are kinda bound to some limitations such as water depth... for a flyfisher, a 60pound carp ain't worth a penny when it's cruising around in 10meters depth. Best situation would be a mudding fish, a surface-feeder or a school of itinerant fishes. Another important point is the availability. Not every water can produce a fish of that size or even bigger ones. Finding an appropriate water that matches all requirements and fullfils all other facts is a puzzling game. So, back to the roots of modern carp fishing...

("Dude, that is nuts...")

Specimen hunting has a long history here in Europe and it's still in focus. Ever since carp/specimen hunters went out to explore new lakes, channels, reservoirs or rivers they wrote detailed descriptions, took pictures and conveyed the message of possible giants across Europe. There are even some sorts of lists of Europe's biggest carps, where they swim around and the best way to approach them... some of them are very famous like that fish from Lac. St. Cassien called “Banana” or UK´s “Benson” who died a few weeks ago. Long story short: This knowledge was a main part of our research. Our perspective journey should lead us to South-Austria.

(A hind?)

My first impression of the lake was just too good to be true. The upper and narrow section was part of a degenerated river mouth system with a lot of vegetation, submersed logs and, due to the former creek that flew into that lake, a very structurized ground. Within the first 10 minutes a saw a whole bunch of feeding fish along the shoreline – a dream came true!

(Getting ready)

Equipment: If a 40 pound meatball starts to run it's tails of you better should be prepared. It ain't no secret that a carp is a hell of a fighter and considered to be one of the most enduring warmwater-fishes on a rod. So let's have a look at the main part of our hardware.

(Tool of torture: 6# 12ft.)

Kick ass recommendation:

6120 Göran Andersson (UL-Doublehander) + 7/9 Evotec G4

890 OptiSalt (X-Grip) + Opti Speedrunner

693 OptiCoast (X-Grip) + Opti Runner

Of course you can fight a big carp on your trout 5weight - no doubt that it will work out, but we were aiming for the "DA MAMA"; a fish with an incredible BMI (Body-Mass-Index). Just in case you hook up such a monster, you'll get to know if your dragystem is worth it. The first run is breathtaking but nothing to fuck up a rod (if your reel works properly) - the landing is the cracking point. You need a rod with a lot of backbones because unlike troutfishing you need liftingpower. What I mean, don't mess around - we are not talking about a 15pounder! Not only because you could mess up your trophy-moneyshot... you could harm the fish as well; releasing a fish that is almost dead is just perversion at it's finest.

(Driftboat-Experience)

Two driftboats, sparereels with other lines, tying vise and material, landing net, digital scale, weight-matting and some other small items completed our hardware. Ammunition? Well, let's see: Glo Bugs, Crab- and Crawldadpattern, Damsels, Bloodworms, Terrestrials (Ants, Bugs ans Hoppers), some sort of Breadcrumbflies, Rubberlegnymphs, USD-Streamer, Charlies, San Juans...and so on. Carp's favourite dishes!

(After 2Days: Screwed Foam-Ant)

(USD-Damsel - heavy and light)

Starting up: Even though there were a lot of fish, it was still a tricky thing. Either because it was hard to stay calm or even harder to not react when a school of smaller fishes (Up to 15 pounds) passed by just to not mess up the chance of hooking a big pig.

(Wading the "turtle flats")

1st. commandment: " Act like a heron!"

3 guys stalking the shoreline, hiding behind any form of cover and remaining statically for minutes... just to get the perfect shot.

"School ahead, big fish infront - feeding the weedfields... can you see it?"

Yeah, I do... a simple bow and arrow cast with my 12ft. 6wt. and the presentation is done. The mudding fish in front of the school reacts instantly after my fly bumped just a few cm away into the water. As it "tails" for that USD-Damsel pattern I set the hook via flyline. Instant Start-up! A good fish... mid-twenties for sure! Check the pics from the first fish of the quest!

(Landing the first fish of the quest)

(Ups...)

(Weight-in: 24 pounds)

(Eat, Sleep, Fish Pt.II)

Every carp on a fly rod that cracks the 20pound mark is a real good fish, no doubt about it. Considering the facts mentioned upon, a 20pounder is often the top of the edge in most waters. Well, a 24pound warm up carp... seriously, things could be worse. I never expected the first fish to be that big, even though it's still far away from the our final goal.

2nd commandment: "Down & Dirty!"

(Structurized shoreline)

Due to the enormous amount of structure, which is very good for fishing but the worse case for fighting a giant fish, you need to get a plan... or at least a tactic. Carp reacts very well on pressure directions since it wants to reach mostly the opposite direction. If you pull your rod to the right, the fish turns left - if you lift it, it wants to reach the ground and way around. If you stay calm enough to remember this while you are playing a good fish you have a good chance to direct the fish away from any sort of obstacles...and away from the ground. "Down and Dirty" describes very well what I mean...got it? Enough theory for now... time for Niko to fight the next carp...

(Landing...)

(Portrait)

(Nice fish)

(Release)

Everything was possible, we knew it! The first rush yield to a collective insanity. We were wading quietly along the shoreline, watching for itinerant schools and it felt a bit like bonefish-hunting. Backingruns, fully bend rods, big crackers, massive boils... the first day was really a picture-book day of carp fishing. We thought it couldn't get any better... until we came back on day two...

(I want my Backing back...)

(First attempt)

(WTF, NO!)

(Yeah, Baby)

(That´s the name of the game)

(Good stuff)

(Niko with another one)

(Release Pt.II)

(Happy landing)

Click here for the 2nd part!

OPTi SWITCH STYLE DELIVERS!

noreply@blogger.com (Martin Johansson) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Greetings from Stabburs

Lars Munk sent me a nice e-mail:

- " Hi Martin! Came home from Stabburs for a couple of weeks ago, what a fine river, the fishing was a bit slow, but we caught fish anyway. I snapped two, one 94 and one at 99 cm.
I caught the 99:er on a switch style class 6, which is a fantastic cool rod! Hope all is well down there with you."
/Munk

Troutbumming - The Creeks Of Evil - Day I

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:04:00 +0000

Troutbumming - The Creeks of Evil - Day I
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Paulo Hoffmann,
Alexander von Dombois
& Peter Volkensfeld*

It´s a frequent ritual to pack our thing and leave everything except fishing behind for at least two days. The deal was convincing as simple: One tent, two creeks, three guys and two days... time is running! Due to the fact that we spend a whole day at the riverside, it really ain´t a surprise that even the well known water reveals it´s secrets from another point of view. And sometime it is far more than you ever expected.

(The Creeks Of Evil)

The first water we had choosen was more or less frequented by flyfishers. Paulo and I had spend there some time before (Scare Tactics) and the Plan was to introduce trout and co. to Alexander who was the Creek-Newbie in the team. Although he´s used to Zeds, Asp, Pike and some more gamefishes including Shad, Macrele and Striper on fly he was a fly-trout virgin. (Check out his feedback below) The second water is a tributary of the first one and as far as we are concerned... it´s was totally unknown to us. Uncountable examples in the past had shown that water size is never an indicator of fishsize at all, so we were quite excited to blast some casts there...

(2nd day´s water)

1 Day - 1 Bang

"HOLY FUCK, ARE THEY SERIOUS?" - we got it bad. A parish fair... close to the creek! Damn it! Okay, it was time for purpose-lead optimism: A problem is a solution under construction. Sounds much better. Still focusing our goal to get Alex some trouts, we fished the areas upon and below, eventhough that specific part was very good for brutes...

(GTFO, MOFU!)

Anyway...especially the upper parts were a blessing since we found some schools of graylings rising for tiniest dries. Item to go: Size 22 "Oarscherl" (Austrian pattern) and 0,08mm tippet. Hell knows why, but these literally highly selective fishes were fighting like a drunk´n pillow - in comparison to their siblings in Austria. Nevertheless we enjoyed this pretty fine intermezzo as long as it lasted. As I said thousand times before, Fortune is a philandering bitch... that sent us rain-pregnant clouds. Long story short: Clear creek turned into coffee = Streamertime aka. time to slam some brutes. Beside the typical brownies we hammered some real nice perches (German Bass) up to 41cm. Alex´s 40cm perch marked a new personal best for his trophy gallery - and of course he lost his virginity. Wicked lockdown for the first day. Now that the stream got high and brown we were even more excited to see the small creek that shall not be influenced by the the rain.

(Rain)

(Peter´s playin´ a nice trout)

(Feisty Brownie)

(0,08mm Crackdown)

(Dark Grayling)

(Paulo and a nice tube-trout)

(Pt.II)

(Tubeflies rocked the set once again)

(Pete´s rocking on)

(Alex´s first brownie ever)

(Nervous trout)

(Pt.II)

(Alex is tying some flies while lunch is cooking)

(Tube trout)

(Paulo´s baby)

(Portrait)

(A real beauty)

(Release)

(Release Pt.II)

(Another lil lady)

(The lady)

(41cm Perch)

(Alex holds my fish)

(Alex´s fish)

(Slammed on a USD Leech)

(40cm Perch)

(Releasing a Perch)

(Troutfever has no cure)

(Dinnertime (no fish was harmed - tinned food to go ))

(Till late)

(Guerilla tent)

Click here for PT.II

Feedback

"It was a great experience fishing small German creeks with the guys from FFN. I learned a lot about fishing and casting under trees and bad conditions. Even though the weather was not that great I had a lot of fun an caught my first browntrout and my biggest (40cm) perch ever!

Thanks Stephan and Paulo for taking me with fishing!"

Alexander von Dombois

Bamboo Bang

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:31:00 +0000

Bamboo Bang
aka.
Guide To Destruction

by Stephan Dombaj
feat. Nikolai Prietl

It ain´t no secret that I don´t really dig bamboo rods as far as their practical purpose is meant. But it´s true that I really marvel at the guys who can make a fishing tool out a giant toothpick. Anyhow, it´s a matter of fact that bamboo-rods are part of our great passion´s history and that´s why I finally had to give it a serious try. After casting quite a few splitcanes - classic and modern tapers - I was frankly satisfied with the range I had tried; not that these rods were ever made up to challenge my beloved carbonrods but the feeling was not soo bad.

(Preparing the reels)

A Splicane-Builder gave me one of his prototype-babes to beat the shit out of it. A 6 weight 8,6ft. - good cast-ability. He told me that he slammed some pikes with it... If it fits my interpretation of slamming - this would be an intresting thing. No Retention. Deal: 6weight Toothpic + Burgundie Classic vs. Carp.

(...)

That thing performed very well and I cannot deny that I was kinda keen on fighting a carp on that combo... and my chances were not so bad since a whole bunch of feeding mudrakers slightly moved into my castingrange. The small nymph just passed the front of a midsize fish. Move, Slurp, Bend and BANG! (I was actually more a cracking than a bang) the whole rod except the handle simply felt off into the water while the reel sang a sweet song. Damnit, 70hrs. of work what equals 950Euros - destroyed by a simple carp in a splitsecond. Priceless (or worthless) Finally I got that fish... and another one too because the part that wasn´t broken at all performed very well!

(Sweet bend)

I know that I potentially run the risk of getting accused to crack that rod on purpose but the reality couldn´t be further. We finally found out why that stick cracked: The hexagonal slipcaneblank was built up with a round windingcheck what leads to pressurepoints - due to this circumstance it was a matter of time... ah, before I forged... later that day I slammed a real pig (19kg) on a 8weight carbonrod. ;)

Here are some pics

(First run)

(Something´s wrong)

(Nice bend)

(Decent Fish - but way too much for that stick)

(Hooking up)

(Fighting that fish with the tip)

Scare Tactics

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Scare Tactics
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Paulo Hoffmann

A story about atomic ants and thymallus tubes

"That´s a nice grayling - haven´t seen them for months here..."
"The whole strech is full of them - give it try!"
"What you got tied on?"
"A Black-Chatreuse-Tube..."

9 of 10 guys turn around now, loudly complaining about the waste of time talking to that strange wierdo... The one who stays will experience the meaning of our scare tactics and aswell a new dimension of approaching streamfishes.

(Scare tactics)

"Never change a winning team" - so why should we question the impact of patterns that worked at our local stream, lake, creek etc. for years? Simply because we are not the only ones to realise the efficiency - at first we got the fish, that get´s used to certain things (such as goldbeads for example) or other fishermen who´ll fish the same flies over and over again.

(The Creek)

Especally brutes can be quite sensitive as far as fishing-pressure is concerned... let´s say, there´s a certain reason why the got so big. The example of our local stream shows very demonstrative the effect of unconventional methods and patterns. The headline "Scare tactics" tells actually everything what it is all about: Fishing methods and patterns that are more or less unlogical: too loud, too big, too bright...simply too much of everything. Here are some examples: Giant Tschernobil Ant... running, Small Tubes for Grayling, running dryflies, UV-Reflecting Hotcone-streamers... and so on...things that would "normally" spook everything in a mile-radius.

(Paulo handling the Switch-Style-Rod)

The following pics are a parol for fishing your fly at the edge of good taste, for the trouts and other fishes that slam on these pattern and of course for the brutes who never thought that this giant wiggling thing was attached to line...

(Tschernobil Ant meets cover-trout)

(A good fish)

(Size 4 Tschernobil Ant and a 50cm Brownie)

(Gimme a smile - angry trout)

(Portrait)

(Fatty)

(Running Bitch-Creek)

(Gone...)

(Fish on)

(Brownie)

(Swinging Tube)

(Bang)

(Check the hat ;-) )

(Tube Thymallus)

(They love it...)

(Smallie)

(Pretty one)

(Paulo is about to score)

(Any question)

(*u#& the pain away)

(A beauty)

(Wild-grown)

(Going home)

Loop Tackle Design agrees to settlement with Danielsson Innovation.

noreply@blogger.com (Ola Nilsson) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:54:00 +0000

Loop Tackle Design agrees to settlement with Danielsson Innovation.

In the beginning of 2005 Danielsson Innovation abruptly discontinued the long-standing agreement with Loop Tackle Design. This breach of contract resulted in a number of legal actions that have been underway until just recently when Danielsson Innovation requested to settle out of court. This comes just prior the main trial regarding the question of whether Danielsson Innovation's annulment of the agreement was legal or not. Despite substantial losses caused by the annulment, Loop Tackle Design agreed to the small damage settlement.

"This whole affair has been painful, but we and Danielsson Innovation have now agreed to put our disputes to rest. We really appreciate the years we cooperated and look forward to a healthy competition in the years to come. We at Loop Tackle Design wish Danielsson Innovation the best of luck in the future". says Christer Sjöberg, founder of Loop.

Winter Anger

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:17:00 +0000

Winter Anger
by Stephan Dombaj
feat.: Julian Sion

"...are you kidding me?" (the constellation that is otherwise known as "SICK BASTARD") - the common reaction when I am talking about wintertime pikefishing. But let´s start logically in order to get the whole impression of my sickness.

(Strip it)

The first days that the waters are more or less icefree and the fat bastard pike we want to nail is more lethagic than ready to rock: All metabolic functions are slowed down due to the watertemperatur in order to save as much energy as possible. What we need now is the old deep´n slow, nice and neat formula to score.

(Deciving Dahlberg Diver)

Now that ice can´t stop the water from warming up, the temperature in the shallows is increasing relatively rapid from (for example:) 2 to 7 degrees. That little kickstart is enought to tease preyfishes into the shallow zones. An appropriate reason for our target to follow...

(Strip it fast and prey for the big bang)

Now it´s time to own: Shallow water baits, such as the famous Dahlberg Diver offer the (probably) most exciting way to get these toothy monsters. Quite uncommon methode to get a hook up these days - but give it a try. The natural instinct of a predator is an irrepressible impulse and they want that mouse/frog soo bad.... A few days before the close season for pike starts (here in western Germany) we had the right conditions to bust our knuckles once again! Good excuse for topwaters in the cold!

(Opti Runner ready to go)

(Busted)

(Julian with a decent fish)

(Check it´s mouth)

(...)

(Nice one)

(Sweet fish)

(Release)

(Finally a better one: 82cm)

(Opti Salt did it again)

Can´t wait for May to come!!!

Loop Opti Salt “It’s Here!!!”

tim@scanout.com (Tim Pask) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:20:00 +0000

Sonya and I just returned from some amazing Tarpon fishing and got the chance to fish both the Loop Otpi Salt 10 and 12 weight rods. Both rods have the new “X-Grip” on them and I can assure you they are both amazing fish fighting tools, as we landed most of our tarpon in less then 30 minutes.

Tarpon Bait

Of course we also had the Loop Opti Megaloop and Opti Big reels and I have never been more impressed with a big game reel in my life.

Our View .................................................................... Opti Salt and Megaloop

We jumped somewhere around 50 tarpon (amazing by any standards), kept the drags tight and our hands far back on the rod handles and just worked them hard. I was amazed how fast we landed these fish

I think people are going to be very impressed with the new Opti Salt series...

Sonya and Captain Carl "Landed!"

Hells Bay flats boat was our transportation (see the James Bond boat - background)

April Vokey's Flies For Fins

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Niska) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:17:00 +0000

Here is a message from my friend April Vokey. She is trying to raise money to benefit Steelhead in British Columbia through work done by the Steelhead Society of British Columbia.If you value BC Steelhead please consider sending April Vokey a couple of your flies.

FLIES FOR FINS

Listen up!!! This message is for you whether you live in Norway, Oregon or British Columbia.... Our steelhead are suffering and need your help!I have started a fundraiser called Flies For Fins. I don't want your money, but I do need some of your time and tying materials. I am working with Reaction Fly and Tackle, Pacific Angler, Michael and Young Fly Shop and Whistler FlyFishing to raise money for the Steelhead Society. Each location will carry a cork board that is full of steelhead flies MADE BY YOU. These flies will be sold at the shops, where proceeds will be donated to the Steelhead Society. In the middle of each cork board will be a graph that is updated weekly to show how much money had been raised.
Mailing flies only takes a couple stamps (just make sure that they can be flattened in an envelope.) This is for a great cause, please choose to take some of your time and flies out of your box for it.I will have a Face Book page up in the next several days for Flies For Fins, however, we need flies RIGHT NOW.

Flies can be shipped to:
8505 Norman Cres.
Chilliwack, B.C.
Canada
V2P 5C6

Feel free to send one fly, or ten! Make them as fancy or as plain as you would like. Please include your name.

Envelope, stamp, fly. It's that simple.
Please do your part and help us make a difference!

Thank you so much,
April.

BC Steelhead, Provincial Fish?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Niska) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:34:00 +0000

January 15th, 2009

Steelhead Society of B.C.
232 W. Broadway
Vancouver, B.C.
V5Y 1P6

Premier Gordon Campbell
Room 156, West Annex,
Parliament Buildings,
Victoria, B.C.
V8V1X4

Dear Premier Campbell
re: Designation of Steelhead as an Official Emblem of British Columbia (Provincial Fish)

Further to our earlier request of February 26, 2004, the Steelhead Society of B.C. again asks the government to give serious consideration to designating the wild steelhead (Oncorhynhus mykiss) as B.C.’s provincial fish for the following reasons:

- B.C. has a provincial flower (Pacific Dogwood, designated in 1956), a provincial gemstone(jade, designated in 1968), a provincial bird (Steller’s Jay, designated in 1987), a provincial tree(Western Red Cedar, designated in 1988), and most recently a provincial mammal (Spirit Bear).However, despite the cultural significance of fish to British Columbia, a provincial fish has not been designated as an official emblem of the province;

- Wild steelhead (and their land-locked equivalent, rainbow trout) are distributed throughout most of B.C. British Columbia is the only province in Canada with native, wild steelhead populations.These populations are the largest remaining in North America. The world records for the largest steelhead caught in fresh-water, and the largest steelhead caught by fly fishing, are both from British Columbia;

- B.C. is world famous for its unequalled wild steelhead sport fisheries, which are an economically and culturally priceless part of our heritage. The designation of wild steelhead as our provincial fish would add to these values.

We look forward to your response.

Yours truly,

Jason Tonelli
President
Steelhead Society of B.C.

Loop Opti 8124 and Whistler Spey Line

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Niska) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:44:00 +0000

In the last year the Loop Opti 8124 has become my favourite Steelhead stick. I have this rod matched up with Loop's new Whistler spey line and Classic 7/9 reel loaded with 40#LTS running line.

The opti is a gun, super light with a tonne of power. A nice smooth progressive flex with a tip that is medium in flex but incredibly quick recovering, making for a fast rod that doesn't feel like a broom handle. The overall reduced weight and diameter of the Whistler line combined with the fast precise tip of the opti make for a set up that throws razer lazers and fishes great too.

The Whistler spey line is a completely new concept in spey line design.In fact when the line production engineer first received the design this was his comment,

"this new line design is as crazy as a Norwegian in Bull season"

The Whistler casts best with modern fast action rods which is really no surprise as these lines were designed to match up perfectly with the Loop Opti two hand rods. The unique taper of the Whistler line positions the weight in the portion of the D loop where it will have the most effect on loading the rod and generating line speed. The Whistler line perfectly suits our modern northwest speycasting technique. The smooth continuous motion of the rod tip rising into the forward stroke drives the heaviest portion of the head through the apex of the D loop generating line speed. As the heaviest and thickest portion of the line is at the front it is a very efficient use of weight making for a light line that loads the rod like a much heavier line. The Whistler flies fast and true,the aggressive front taper turning over sink tips and large flies with authority.

The first real test of the Whistler line was my trip last summer to Alaska West Lodge fishing for King(Chinook)Salmon. Alaska West operates a tent camp on the lower reaches of the Kanektok river where lucky anglers get to swing flies for chromers fresh in from the Bering Sea.

After great results in Alaska the Whistler lines were put through their paces fishing for wild Steelhead on the Skeena river system in northern British Columbia and then on ocean bright Coho and Chum Salmon back home in Whistler.Along the way the Whistler line was put in the hands of wide cross section of anglers ranging from spey newbies to seasoned guides. The most common comment from the testers was the distincive slow slinky drift the Whistler line gives.

The line has a 12 foot progressive intermediate section at the front to which sink tips are attached meaning that a good portion of the overall head is below the waters surface where the current is slower. This allows for the most direct connection to the fly resulting in unbelievable feel throughout the swing. Rather than the thick floating portion of the line towing around the sink tip, you feel the fly and sink tip in the most straight line connection to the fly and fish. The reduced drag of the thin line combined with the intermediate sinking portion enable the slowest possible swing with a level of control never before experienced. The rear floating portion of the Whistler blending smoothly into the intermediate section behind the faster sinking tip allows the angler to fish deep when out on the seam and yet swing the fly smoothly into a foot of water.

Loop Equipment Research

noreply@blogger.com (Fly Fishing Nation) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Loop Equipment Research
by Stephan Dombaj

The famous quality of Loop Tackle Design of Sweden Products is based on wide variety of influences from around the globe: On the one hand our fieldtest and research team that conquers every white spot on the map in order to abuse our clothing and tackle under the most harsh conditions a flyfisher could possibly challenge - and on the other hand, the aim to go even further. Lean back and enjoy this footages of an quite unconventional "fish-equipment-fieldtest"

(Under The Influence)

Austria: A small village located near by Austria´s highest mountain. 10 Days of non-stop abuse for clothing. No Slope. Temp.: Between 0 and -20 degrees. Freeride!!!

Clothing:

Loop Opti 3L Jacket
Loop Polartec Power Strech Underwear
Loop Hoodie
Loop Backpack and Vest Combo

Subsumption: If you are in search for functional outdoor clothing and carry systems with style, go on and check out the Loop-Stuff.

(On the way to the top)

(Icedust reflexions)

(Freeride)

(Pt.II)

(Pt.III)

(The 180°)

(Creek)

(...)

Board and Ski: Stephan Dombaj
Photos: Stephan Dombaj

In search of Squamish Steelhead

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Niska) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:26:00 +0000

In search of Squamish Steelhead.......

Is it really possible to find enlightenment standing knee deep in a glacier fed river on a very rainy and cold winter day?

Steelhead are often referred to as the fish of a thousand casts as such it is easy to let ones mind wander while in pursuit of Oncorhynchus Mykiss. Today I ponder the universe from underneath a raised hood as wind and heavy rain do their best to encourage me indoors.

The rivers of sea to sky country are home to some of the strongest winter Steelhead in the world. These wild fish provide the serious fly angler a chance at the ultimate freshwater gamefish between the months of January and April. For those afflicted with this sickness braving the elements at this time of year is a ritualistic part of the Steelhead experience.

The rain subsides, the constant patter of water replaced by a heavy silence broken only by the squawk of an eagle hanging out in the old growth forest. After hours of casting in the heavy rain this brief respite is welcome and I drop the hood and take in my surroundings. Looking up at the Coast Mountains it is clearly still snowing heavily in the alpine. In time the clouds lift slightly and I am treated to a brief view of the prominent snowline a couple thousand feet above me.

Late winter storms have been pounding the coast, their heavy precipitation finally causing the river to swell. This is what the believers, myself and other Steelhead afflicted bums have been waiting for. A rising river brings in fresh fish from the ocean, the increased flow triggering a primal instinct that it is time to move upriver. Steelheading is really about being positioned well-being in the right place at the right time as the fish migrate by. Tucking the rod under my arm I rub my hands together to ease frozen fingers, I can't help but feel lucky today.

It is said that the allure of Steelheading has everything to do with the take, the way these fresh fish aggressively chomp the fly. Hours of casting and contemplation interrupted by the solid grab of a bright fish fresh from the salt, the tug is the drug.

I make cast after cast, each time moving slightly downstream. This is the mantra of the Steelhead angler "cast, step, cast, step" all the while believing. I fall into a rhythm, casting is smooth and fluid, the perfectly balanced spey rod effortlessly tossing the large pink tube fly across the river. Each time I am careful to mend the line slightly to slow the fly as it swings to shore.

Suddenly the fly stops mid swing and there is the recognizable head shake of a heavy fish. "There you are", I say out loud as the fish takes off for the far side of the river. The reel screams in earnest and my fly line peels out toward the tail out of the pool. There is an eruption of water spray and ten pounds of electric chrome clears the water and streaks back upstream coming to rest in the riffle across from me. I pull from the side to get the fish in as quickly as possible. A couple more runs and one spectacular jump and the Steelhead slides into a foot of slow water below me. I reach down and tail the fish with my bare wet hand taking care to keep it submerged in the water. The barbless hook slides easily out of the corner of the fish's mouth and I gently release her receiving a splash of cold water as her strong tail kicks as she darts away. As I wipe the cold water from the side of my face I reflect on how fortunate we are to have these magnificent fish and the wild rivers they depend on.

All Steelhead in the Squamish are wild fish and as such are protected with catch and release regulations.Anglers fishing the Squamish and it's main trib the Cheakamus need to have a Steelhead Stamp and fresh water license to target these fish. As well a single barbless hook restriction and bait ban are in place. In addition to the Steelhead fly anglers can expect to catch Rainbow, Cutthroat and Bull trout(Char) in these rivers. Like the Steelhead, all Trout and Char in the Squamish and it's tributaries are catch and release.

OPTi CREEK Combo.

noreply@blogger.com (Per Brännström) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:27:00 +0000

This summer I tested the new outfit combo OPTi CREEK 8,8´line 3 with OPTi CREEK flyreel and OPTi Stillwater floating line. This outfit performed perfect and is my christmas present to myself this year. It is so delicate and present small dryflies as well as bigger streamers very smothly.

When if comes to big and shy Trout, Grayling ore Char this combo is a must. In Andre Bruns new film Troutbum 3 Iceland he also uses OPTi CREEK and lands some very big Trout and Char.