That’s why — in a blatant free plug for a local business — I’m flogging a whitewater guide training school on the Upper Sacramento River May 3-5. 

It’s run by River Dancers, who know the Upper Sacramento like Gierach knows verbs. They’ve also produced several bazillion quality guides over the years, and there’s little question they’ve got the guide thing dialed.

Sure, cynics will wonder if my real motivation for urging whitewater-related education is the chance to publish a bikini photo, and to them I say the following: It’s just a side benefit.

The L&T took this class many years ago, and as a result, she was a champ behind the oars of Dave Roberts’ drift boat.

I’m not suggesting you force your spouse to take this course so you can fish while she/he rows (I would never suggest such a plan [nudge nudge, wink wink]).

I’m just mentioning it in passing is all. See you on the Class IIIs, Tom Chandler.

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If you want to know about real estate in Dunsmuir, read “The Basics” below.

If you want to know how I got here, then read “The Story” below.

The Details

I’m tired of being a landlord, so I’m selling my house in Dunsmuir. The highlights:

• Three minute walk from downtown, the Upper Sacramento River and Ted Fay Fly shop
• 1100 sq. ft. on a city lot
• Two bedrooms, one bath. Galley kitchen.
• Separate studio guest cottage (complete with bath and kitchen)
• Carport
• Aluminum roof, aluminum siding

Price: only $145,000 (it’s the best deal in Dunsmuir)

Interested? Visit the online listing here. Or call Nancy Schneider (our realtor) at 530.926.2100. (Tell her the Trout Underground sent you.)

The Story

In the late 90’s, I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. I was a pretty unhappy camper, and I realized I’m not so much cut out for city life. At some point, I realized that all my clients had e-mail addresses, and that maybe — just maybe — I could live somewhere less populated.

Someplace near a trout river.

At that time, I was fishing all around Northern California, but when I asked myself what place felt most like home, the answer was clear: Dunsmuir.

So I moved.

I planned to rent for a year, but the rentals were grim, and the houses affordable. So I ended up buying my own trout bum retreat — a funky two bedroom house featuring low-maintenance aluminum roofing, zero-maintenance aluminum siding, a small yard (I was more interested in fly fishing than yardwork), and a small guest house where other fly fishers could stay.

Standard of Living

It was the first place I could truly call my own, so the front closet became a bamboo fly rod storage facility, and — rather than waste money on items not essential to fly fishing — I put a couple pieces of plastic lawn furniture in the living room.

The fly tying desk went in another corner of the living room, and I can’t count the number of times I stood in the front closet, deciding which rod to fish and where.

A friend remarked that the largely furniture-free interior (no TV, no couch, no kitchen table) looked like the home of serial killer, which was probably more of a compliment than it seemed at the time.

The house didn’t require much care, which was good because I was fishing a hell of a lot. I was only minutes from the river, 45 seconds from the nearest grocery store, and a five minute walk from Dunsmuir’s downtown area, so on the very, very few occasions when I had a teensy bit too much to drink, I simply walked home.

A brisk three minute walk south is the Ted Fay Fly shop, and Chris Raine’s bamboo fly rod shop is an equal distance north.

In short, everything I needed at that point in my life was a short walk away, suggesting that the old saw about “location, location, location” actually was true. Who knew?

It was a good period, friends & family stayed in the guest cottage, and life was good.

Then I met the L&T Nancy, and life became great.

Now I live in Mount Shasta, and frankly, I’m not cut out for landlord-hood. Enough things already cut into my fishing time without another house cluttering the calendar, so we decided to sell.

$145,000, inspections on the way.

You can learn more at the online listing. Or call Nancy Schneider (our realtor) at 530.926.2100. (Tell her the Trout Underground sent you). And if you want more of the story about my move up here, read “Inertia.”

Of course, you don’t have to buy the place to share your own fly fishing “life adventure” story.

See you at the real estate office, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: fly fishing, real estate, dunsmuir real estate

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After comparing the leading fly fishing only sites (Fly Shop, etc) to the big boxes (Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, etc), they threw the Trout Underground into the mix.

The results?

If my eyes don’t deceive me, T.C. at Le Underground has a comparable, and occasionally LARGER, daily reach than the top four fly fishing e-commerce sites! Shit man, ditch those low paying affiliate links and make those big boys pony up some bucks for some advertising.

He’s probably right. According to my Web server stats, the Underground enjoyed its first 700+ visit day last week, and traffic continues to grow.

Are you listening e-commerce sites?

Source: MOLDY CHUM: Wake Up and Smell the Blog!

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Sierra Trading Post (one of our affiliates) is offering a free upgrade to two-day shipping until midnight Wednesday (I’m a size large - and you could also buy a few trinkets for your friends and family too).

SAVE 35-70% on Outdoor Clothing and Gear at SierraTradingPost.com

Amazon (another affiliate) also offers rush shipping, though after you lucky bastards reading the Trout Underground, what could they possibly sell that compares?

Amazon Fly Fishing Books

A Freebie

For those for whom it’s the thought that matters, Office Max offers pure viral marketing fun; they invite you to upload your picture and become a dancing elf.

You don’t want to be an elf? Look at it as an easy way to lose a few pounds.

Which Underground face should we paste on the dancing elf? Dave Roberts? Sully? Chris Raine? Write-in candidates?

As always, if you or your Underground Force are captured, I will disavow any knowledge of your actions.

Technorati Tags: sierra trading post, amazon, christmas, elfyourself

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Given the lazy nature of most fly fishers, these links represent a golden opportunity to buy all your Trout Underground-bound Xmas gifts without leaving your desk!

Yes Undergrounders, we’re offering yet another service for the weak, infirm and just downright lazy (and those too cheap to pay full price for anything).

Looking for bargains? The Sierra Trading Post moves a ton of bargain gear every week, including Sage luggage, rods, reels, Orvis fly lines, flies, waders, clothes… pretty much everything.

Last week they were selling $240 Lamson large arbor reels for under $100 (gone now), so check in every once in a while to see what they’re giving away.

I recently added Cabelas, whose “Bargain Cave” carries some real deals, including 7-pc “Stowaway” fly rod blanks for only $39. Woo-hoo!

Finally, the Orvis catalog covers a lot of ground, and people either seem to love ‘em or hate ‘em. I admit to developing a real fondness for some of their gear, and their service kicks butt.

There it is - your Xmas shopping in a nutshell. Just remember to click through to the sites from the Trout Underground (use the buttons at the top of the sidebar) and a fraction of every sale goes to help pay the Underground’s hosting costs.

Plus - spend more than $110 at Sierra Trading Post and take an additional 10% off your order. Perfect for cheap bastards like myself.

See you at the bargain bins, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: sale, orvis, cabelas, sierra trading post, shopping

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The idea is simple: if you’re going to buy something from them anyway, then click through to their site from here, and I’ll get a small fraction to help support the Underground.

And hell, if you want to buy something and send it to me as a gift, that’s a win-win for me…

My favorite Orvis goodies might be their CFO reels. Machined and pretty, Orvis reduced the price to under $200, and my only wish is they still made the CFO IV size.

The machined Battenkills are under $100, and they *are* available in bigger sizes. An excellent deal, and a perfect Xmas gift for your favorite blogger.

I own a fair amount of Orvis gear (waders, chest pack, reels, a 1945 Orvis bamboo rod, etc), and one thing’s for sure - their service is tough to beat.

See you behind the counter, Tom Chandler.

Technorati Tags: orvis, affiliate, CFO, Battenkill, reel, fly fishing

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While I’m not booking any trips to Belize, it looks like Sierra Trading Post will send a check for better than half this month’s hosting costs.

Thanks again!

And if you’re itching to buy, Sierra Trading Post has started a new coupon deal: 10% off any online order over $110.

To get the special deal (and to ensure the Underground receives the affiliate’s commission to offset costs), remember to click through to Sierra Trading Post from the Underground.

You get the deal, and I get a small percentage to keep the site going. What a country.

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These are typically things I’d buy (if I had any money), and they’re usually exceptional deals. Remember: Sierra Trading Post orders over $125 will receive a 15% discount. And if you use Google Checkout, you get an additional $10 off.

To order, click through the button on the sidebar and then search for the items. I can create links in the descriptions that go directly to the items, but then you wouldn’t receive the 15% discount. Here we go.

Lamson V-2 Large Arbor reel (Sale $159 [Reg $229]; about $135 after 15% discount)
I’m normally a fan of classic reels but I’m not immune to the charms of fast line retrieves and cool design, and this reel definitely sings in the looks department.

Orvis Travel Case for 4-pc rods (Sale $39.95 [Reg $89]; about $35 after 15% discount)
Perfect for checking your rods on a slaw-dog trip to Tennessee (with a little fishing on the side).

Simms Studded Aqua-Stealth Wading boots (Sale $74.95 [Reg $129]; about $63 after 15% discount)

Reddington cotton fishing shirt (Sale $8.76)

No Picture: Orvis Streamline 8.5′ 5wt (Sale $27.95; about $23 after 15% discount)

Enjoy your weekend! And thanks for supporting the Trout Underground.

Technorati Tags: sierra trading post, fly fishing gear, gear, sale, bargain

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