Venture 7 Fly Reel

When I set out a few summers back to find the perfect fly reel for plying the salt at my local Southern California beaches, I never dreamed that I'd stumble upon this gem. Though not specifically designed for salt water use, the G. Loomis Venture 7 has what it takes to make short work of the feistiest of briny critters. Much has been said of bar stock aluminum fly reels and their relative strength without compromising weight, but the Venture 7 incorporates all of the craftsmanship, quality, and reliability in a light weight cast and machined aluminum construction. Without a doubt, this reel has features found only in the higher priced reels, such as a fully adjustable composite center line drag system that's as smooth as silk with a backbone necessary to put the brakes on long runs. The drag clicks through a multitude of settings incrementally. At first, I thought the nearly flush mounted drag knob would be difficult to adjust for a person with large hands but I quickly discovered that I could easily adjust the drag through a wide range of settings, even with wet hands. The spools are specifically designed to make changing a snap and they easily convert to a right or left hand retrieve. This reel is truly a thing of beauty with its unique champagne-colored finish. Many a fellow angler has stopped to comment on the appearance of my reel's rich anodized hue. This reliable and moderately priced high performance reel will surely put a smile on any angler's face, as it did mine!

Father's Day

This year, I had one of the best Father's Day that I have had in recent memory. I was able to go to visit my fishing buddy in Mammoth and spend the weekend with my two boys flyfishing. We finished in Mammoth Creek and hooked up with five or six nice browns during the morning. Later that afternoon, we finished at the upper Owens River past Benton Crossing Bridge but did not catch any fish. The wind began to pick up and it was getting late so we packed it in for another day. The following morning we returned to the Owens River only to find it blown out with wind but we still managed to catch two nice browns. Later , we finished Rock Creek and landed a lots of nice fish. in the afternoon , we hiked into the high country to some high mountain lakes and had a field day with Brook Trout. Caddis flies and bllue-winged olives were the hot ticket all day long. It was an awesome weekend with the boys and one that I'll never forget!

Go Terrestrial!

It's almost time to break out the big uglies! Take time now to get your fly box in order for late summer terrestrials. Be creative. Here's a gaudy looking morsel that I made last year using some foam from my kids' craft box and some rubber bands. It took seconds to tie and was irresistible to the big ones lurking along the banks. Remember to toss'em with a big plop, add a little motion, and hang on for dear life!

Riffles, Runs, and Pools

Riffles, runs and pools are terms used to describe the dynamics of fishable water. A riffle is a short section of fast moving shallow water with a generally rocky bottom. Riffles can form feeding lanes for trout as the stream brings the food to the trout. There is also good aeration of the water in a riffle. I have found some surprisingly large trout in the shallowest of water. Runs are formed when riffles deepen and the water current slows. Trout can be found in runs where the water slows after a riffle. Pools are found in the deepest portion of the stream where the water velocity has slowed considerably. Big browns love to hold in these deep slow-moving lies and can especially be found near the undercut banks. A seam is the edge of two different water currents and makes a good hold for trout. Pay attention to the moving water next time you’re out fishing the river; the trout do!

The Canoe

It is said that God gave the idea for the shape of the canoe to the Native Americans. No other vessel has such graceful and alluring lines. No other vessel evokes such a time-worn image of wilderness exploration. No other vessel can track so well across a large open lake yet, gracefully wind its way down a river and still be easily portaged to the next put in. Its agility does not negate its load carrying ability. My canoe will hold 750lbs., a tremendous amount of weight, and float in about 8 inches of water! Fly fishing from a canoe provides one with an elevated seat that enables better casting without the need for a longer rod to lift line off of the water. Sitting higher off the water also makes for increased visibility and seeing more fish usually means catching more fish! Read more here.....

The Approach

A successful presentation depends on your ability to plan and execute a cautious approach, keeping in mind the fish's cone of vision and feeding zone. Remember, the trout uses a variety of senses to detect predators and as fly fishermen, we are the predator.The trout can not only see you and hear you, but also can feel your presence through vibrations that communicate to his lateral line and warn him of impending danger of which the other senses may fail to warn. Plan your approach, taking the above into account before you attack. Walk softly and by all means, carry that big stick!

Orvis Fly Fishing Reel

I recently purchased a new fly reel and to say that I am pleasantly surprised is an understatement! The new Orvis Mid-Arbor reel is one nice piece of machinery! I shouldn't be surprised actually, because Orvis makes quality products but for approximately $120 I thought I'd be getting some cheaply made reel with an expensive name on it. Not so; it's machined from the same bar stock aluminum as their Battenkill Bar Stock reel and has a nice solid feel to it without being heavy. The mid arbor design strikes a nice balance between the traditional sized reel and the wide arbor models that seemed to be all the rage just a few years ago. I found it to be slimmer than the wide arbor and only a slightly larger than the regular reel I had. Another enticing draw is the line capacity. I usually fish small streams and rivers so I'm not going get zipped into my backing by a monster, although I once had a submarine in near Bishop, CA nearly take my canoe for a ride! (You can read about it in Random Acts of Fishing). It is nice, however, to have a little extra "insurance" when you least expect it!

The drag system according to Orvis is a glass composite centerline drag that has an adjustment from free spinning to stopping a locomotive dead in its tracks! The drag knob is easy to handle too. Speaking of knobs, the crank handle is made from a flattened composite material that is wide with small bumps for gripping similar to those found on the bigger reels. Again, great for when you have to put the brakes on that 8 inch Golden trout! The reel is easily switched from right to left hand retrieve like most and has a spool that is simple to remove. According to Orvis, the reel is made from a corrosion-proof material with a scratch resistant finish so it can also be used by those of you who are salty dogs.

Being a traditionalist, I went with the black finish rather that the titanium but I'll tell you, it was a difficult decision as both are equally attractive. My test drive came on the Owens River a few weeks ago and I have to say, the reel performed flawlessly. The drag seemed infinitely adjustable and the reel was smooth as silk. I did get a chance to hear this baby sing when a nice Brown darted out from an under-cut bank and munched my juicy nymph. Overall, I think this reel is a great buy that competes with the Loomis and several others in the same price range but the quality here is first rate.

Note: This NOT a paid review.