Monday, April 27, 2009

2009 Drift Boat Makeover

Being a drift boat owner is something that a small percentage of fishermen ever get to experience during there life as a fly fishermen. Owning a wooden drift boat is an even smaller percentage. There is something special about taking care of a classic wood boat. Its almost as if one takes care of it as there on child. For example: They take special care to keep it safe away from any harm, they spoil it and spend countless dollars to keep it looking good, they spend hours with it to make it better and most of all they love their wood boat and would never give it up no matter what. To me owning a wooden boat is a whole nother level of fly fishing. I am still learning to be a better craftsman, but time is something I have to share with my little baby.


I am always thinking of new ideas to help improve and customize my boat to fit most of my wants on the water. This year I have finally made a list of "Must Does", so here are a couple of my latest "Must Does" that have finally made it off the list.

My Boat is a 16 ft Greg Tatman Kit

1. LineX the bottom-This was a pretty easy project. All I had to do was remove the plastic bottom that was attached. (about 100 screws) and take it to LineX of Sandy. Ask for Kelly, he is the shop owner and will take great care of anyone he works with. (Great Guy!!!) They are a top notch LineX Dealer and I would recommend them to anyone that is thinking about putting LineX on their boat, truck, Jeep or anything else you want to protect. They did all the prep work needed and sprayed on the LineX. I love this stuff. It is tough (lifetime guarantee) and it looks great. Don't have to worry about a leaky bottom any more. Also you can tell them how you want them to spray it. For me I had them spray 4 inches up the sides and up the back in an oval shape for the anchor and up the front to give it a balanced design and rock protection.

For more information about LineX of Sandy check out the link below: http://www.linex.com/ or call Kelly direct at: (801)255-5591

Before Pics


After Pics



2. Build Tubed Rod Holders- I saw these on a Hyde and I knew I needed them. I had open rod holders before and I broke a rod last year as I jumped out of the boat. They are simple, got to any store that has PVC and buy 2 inch size with some of the metal brackets that hold them in place. I refinished them with the same textured spray paint as the inside of my boat.


3. Refinish Inside- I use a textured spray paint called Stone something. ($10 per can at Home Depot) The color is pebble. It looks like granite. After I spay and dry, I cover it with clear gloss finish and it protects it great. Plus it looks very sharp!

4. Put in Swivel Seats- I got mine at Cabelas for $40 great soft seats that fold down.

5. Build in Lanyards for front and back fishermen- Nothing is worst than having to fool around looking for stuff when you can be fishing. I have made a couple lanyards so that each fisherman has all their tippets, weights, floatant and forecepts ready and accessible all the time.

6. Fix Boat Cover- Patched holes and strenghtened my old cover that has seen to may days in the sun. It sure bet spending $500 bones on a new one.

7. Customize Wood Side Panels- With putting the LineX 4 inches up my sides, I had to remove my side panels. I didn't want to get rid of them because I love the look they give a traditional wood boat. So I figured I could make them smaller and am give them a new look to fit my personality. (The design comes from my art background)


Before Pics

After

The Payoff to a lot of hard work.



Things to come:
1. Dry Storage Boxes in Front, Middle and back seats
2. Built in Cooler under rowers seat.
3. Refinish Trailer
4. Durabak or Raptor inside floor
5. Cup holders
6. Lay out seat-So when my wife floats with me she can lay out in her bikini and read a book

Green River Part 2

In a rush to get my last post out before the feeling of the trip faded. Which it does if you wait too long. Its not so much that you forget, but it is the little things that get forgotten. In my rush I neglected to get some of the best pics of the trip from my friend Wayne. So here is another look at the trip from Wayne's prospective.









Late Night at "The Wall". To give Waynes fish justice the smaller brown in the pic is 17 inches
Second Wall Hog in 5 mins



What Rain?



Finally A Bow!



Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Annual Green River BWO Trip

Every year it's tradition for me to plan a trip to the Green River during the famed Blue Wing Olive Hatch. Its the one trip each year that I am so excited about that I am thinking and planning for it all year. In a way its an adults Christmas. The first trip I took was a little crazy. We caught more fish than I have ever seen caught in one day on bwo's and ended up with $1000s of dollars in tickets and fines. (Stupid Obstructing Justice Rule) Another memorable trip was the first trip with my boat. We we floated 3 days with great weather and the rivers resident big browns would not leave our PMX's alone. But just as time changes all things, this years trip ranks up top as my new favorite bwo trip. The trip started well before the scheduled date of April 17-19th. During that time flies were tied, the boat was refinished and customized, needed gear was bought, and people that swore they were going to be there dropped like flies. We started the trip with only 4 of the original 15 group members. (Weather, wives, dogs, girl friends, money, jobs, and everything else seemed to be an excuse. I guess its all Obama's fault) So with Gunner, Mallary, Wayne and myself, we set off for the Green and in search of a rising fish.

Day 1 (Friday 17th)
After a snowy drive we reached the red rocks of the Flaming Gorge Valley. Its always a warming feeling when one descends down the windy path and reaches the clear cool water of the green. The days fishing was red hot from the start. Mallary caught one of the two fish caught with a nymph rig the whole trip as we launched the boat. After that I noticed midges everywhere, so we hit up a couple of my favorite scum lines and had a blast, as we fished little midges for rising trout. The fishing turned up another level as we zeroed in to what they were really wanting and how they were wanting it. The fly of choice was a customized Orange Asher that I created on a wim. (I am sure glad I did) The scum suckers wouldn't leave this fly alone. It caught fish all day for us. By the end of the day and after a trip to "The Wall" we were about 50 flies short and 25 of those were ashers.
Highlights:
Waynes and Mallarys huge browns at "The Wall"
"Spread Eagle, I mean bald eagle" good one Mal (What was that eagle?)
Frozen Hands, Feet
Last ones off the water, floating the last mile in the dark
Staying in a warm condo and not camping
Tying flies watching AEG-New ZDay 2

With a better idea of the fishing and the bugs. We started the day with a better idea of what we wanted to do. We started off with dries and never looked back. Midges and BWOs were the flies of choice. We only fished areas that held rising fish, which wasn't very hard to find. With ideal weather the fishing was off the charts. It rained for about 30 mins as we had lunch and then after that the fishing was even better than before. In places the midges were so thick that it loked like their was sand on top of the water. On the way down "The Wall" produced right before dark with bwo's. If Mallary didn't fall in and get all wet, I would have been able to catch even more than 3 fish in 5 mins that she gave us. It was an amazing site to see hundreds of rising fish in the shallow water run. That night we met up with the rest of the crew Jeff, Laura and Addie. (The Family) They had a nice warm dinner ready as we got off the river and back to the condo.


Highlights
"I love your boat" Happy B-Day Tristen
Meeting Scott and his girl
Trav and Mall fishing together-just killing it
Watching the Rocker
Day 3

Bright skies, warm weather and rising trout is a good way to sum up our last day on the river. We fished our favorite spot from the last couple days and it produced like we knew it would. The fish were a little picky, but a size down or 5 was all one needed to temp them to take our little midges. As the afternoon fell upon us, I noticed bigger fish were rising in a fast water seem. I studied the water and noticed the trout were only talking the emerging bwos. With this in mind I hooked and quick released the largest fish of the trip. Guessing it would have pushed 25, but who knows. I was able to pick up a very nice 22 to end the trip and fill my pot for another year. We rowed down the rest of the river fulfilled. As we reached little hole we were greeted with another prepared lunch and a chance to share our days stories, before we had to call it quits. In all it was some of the finest dry fly fishing I have experienced, as well as great company and experiences that will teach us for a life time.

Highlights
Osprey catching fish
Warm Weather!!! not for fishing
Addie first float
22 inch brown on 28 midge


























































Time to get ready for next year!