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Underground Entertainment - Not From FFR in Denver

By Tom Chandler 8/23/2006

Everybody who's anybody in fly fishing is attending the Fly Fishing Retailer show in Denver, which means the Underground is sitting at home wondering how to make the "A" list next year.

That way, I could browse the long, long rows of new gear that isn't demonstrably better than the gear we already own - but is deemed absolutely essential to our success as fly fishers.

We're stuck with each other...
Still, even though I'm sitting here quietly sobbing to myself, I've pulled it together enough to create another edition of Underground Entertainment. First up is MidCurrent, who - since we can't be there - is reporting live from the Denver show.

He might let you know Sage is discontinuing their XP series and replacing it with... well... a couple new letters. You get the drift.

GetOutdoors goes grassy...
Next from the odd bloggers at GetOutdoors comes the perfect gift for those who prefer to walk barefoot in the grass, but live in glass-strewn urban environments. No squirrel cage jokes, please.

Finally, GetOutdoors is to be commended for their stunning editorial sense. We reported about the surge in women entering fly fishing, and they just got the story - but added a picture of a woman in a bikini. Damn! Why didn't I think of that? (Note to self: sex sells.) See you on the fly fishing porn sites, Tom Chandler.

FFR, Sage, bikinis, MidCurrent
AuthorPicture

Tom Chandler

As the author of the decade leading fly fishing blog Trout Underground, Tom believes that fishing is not about measuring the experience but instead of about having fun. As a staunch environmentalist, he brings to the Yobi Community thought leadership on environmental and access issues facing us today.

9 comments
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No, didn't make the trip. While I'm willing to let the Underground siphon off all my valuable time and energy (instead of making money), I probably have to draw the line at actually spending money to support the thing. Free beer not withstanding. At next year's show - and by then I plan to rule All of Metropolis - I'll be carried into the hall by six Amazon showgirls fanning me with ostrich-feathered ... more bamboo fly rods...
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You mean you are not in Denver? I thought I saw your name on the mailing list. I only came out here to meet TC. Well actually that and all the free beer. It seems that gratis beer greases the wheels of the fly fishing industry! Seriously though, hate I am not going to get to meet you this time. Keep posting semi nude women... I really enjoy that.
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Oh yeah - where are my bikini fly fish model pictures? You've had like eight hours....
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rriver; I agree that a softer rod - one that simply loads up on a fish instead of "hitting" him - works much better fishing soft hackles downriver. A few years ago I was on a soft hackle jag, and finally settled on sweeping hookset to the side (pretty low to the water). Be interested in seeing what you think.
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I did better last night fishing it with bamboo. It seems to help the hook set quite a bit. I caught a lot of fish; But they were in the 8 - 12 inch range when much larger fish are there. Its either because there are so many of them, or the fly is right, but the movement is only fooling the smaller fish. Again a few "spit-tueys" on the bigger fish right away. In faster water this would be much easier ... more to fish. This is in slow, almost "Wood River" kind of current or slower. If I moved up stream into the faster water, I would wack them, but the point is to figure this one out. The fly is definitely the right one; I've had endless days fishing the wrong ones on this hatch. I need to figure out how to trigger an aggressive strike through the movement. - rriver
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rriver, I've encountered that hatch on the Upper Sac. It usually comes off at O-dark 30, so its impossible to see anything on the water at that point. Sounds like you have come up with a pattern that might work well on the Upper Sac so I'll have to tie up a few before I hit the Upper River this Sat. Brian
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Cubans? Cigars aren't my bag as they're foul-smelling beasts, but one sounds good about now; Wally the Wonderdog cornered a skunk in the garage (it's 3 a.m.) and the whole house now smells like pissed off skunk (I'd happily fart just to freshen the air). Wally - of course - is characteristically pleased with himself; the bigger the sleep loss (my sleep loss) the happier he is. rriver; I don't know ... more anything about your specific hatch, but every time I've swung soft hackles during the caddis hatch, I've lost a depressing percentage of the fish. I'm no caddis expert, and I can tumble for is the standard theory - the caddis are coming off the bottom ready to fly, so no shucks to speak of. As for the show, a couple people offered passes, but given that the Underground isn't a moneymaker, it's pretty tough to justify the expense of a flight and hotel room. Next year - when I'm raking in millions from my readers - I'll consider it.
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"Ten to one the guys at Trout Underground and Yellowstone Fly Fishing smoke about 5 Cubans a trip." That's a quote from getoutdoors.com. And now I have a question. Have you been holding out on me? Cubans?! As for the bikini clad models - I'll work on getting photos for that part of your site. My per diem is competitive, trust me.
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So what does it take to be able to go? Seems like its mostly a small fly shop that makes up the attendees. I bet by next year you are on the list. I was reading the Dave Hughes "Wet Fly" the other day, where he was writing about a puzzling hatch on the Deschutes, that he was sure was caddis, but they would not take an elk hair caddis, and he ended up finally catching fish using a small hare's ear. ... more I have this same hatch on the Rogue, where I can never see the bug, but the fish are going nuts, in a way that means caddis. There are some pretty big jumpers, that get your attention. Especially ones that sound like bowling balls, and you have to look twice to see if it was a beaver. I have tried flies on this hatch for 3 years now and never really got it figured out fly wise, until last night. It was just a simple light wired scud hook size 16, with cream dubbing, gold wire, peacock herl with grizzly palmered though as a collar, and then partridge, tied in at the tip, and just a few turns. It worked great. But I lost quite a few fish, including the two larger ones I pulled out of the water. Not sure the best way to fish it yet. What works best is to cast straight across, and set the hook at the swirl, but its hard to get a hookset. They will not take it cast up stream and floating back. Downstream they will not take it until directly down stream. If you are still awake, a question. How does the actual insect move? It is trying to get out of a shuck in the film right? Or does it fly right away? Ideas? Is there a help desk at the retailer show? - rriver
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