JL Waters and Company

2011-12-02T17:37:00.003-05:00

Hello out there!

I hope this finds you tuckered out from a day of fishing for the big lunkers in the streams and lakes! My name is Fred Hougland and am just starting out in the fly fishing department at JL Waters in Bloomington Indiana. I just wanted to introduce myself and invite you to come in a swap stories when I am there. I work Friday from 12-6 and Saturday from 10-6. I grew up here in Indiana chasing crappie and bass and catfish, but spent the last 3 years getting spoiled up in Alaska. I picked up the fly rod up there, and haven't put it down since. Come on in and we'll talk about how it's done in the midwest! Take care and happy fishing!

Fishing Update

2011-09-30T15:21:00.007-04:00

This morning my friend Stirling and I woke up at around 6 brewed up some coffee and headed down to Lake Monroe. Lately this weather has been ideal for the Wiper fishing and apparently the Largemouth Bass are active as well. The wind was out of the West which isn't my favorite wind for fishing down on the point, but we suited up and waded out to see what we could find. We ventured out and started getting slammed by wipers left and right, the action slowed down a bit and we continued out farther on the point. Stirling who was fishing with a spinning rod, due to recent shoulder surgery hooked up, I looked over and a BIG fish jumped out of the water! It was a really nice Largemouth, about 5lbs. Then another two casts later almost three pounds. It was a good morning. If you havn't fished Monroe you have to give it a try.

We have all the fly fishing gear you need here in the
store, and we also have a ton of new warm clothes and raingear. Come on down to the store and we will get you all set up for this fall fishing season.

Wipers!

2011-09-24T10:27:00.004-04:00

So I have been really diggin on this weather, all the rain is great for your fall garden, the trees,.... but especially for the WIPER fishing!!!! As soon as the wind starts blowing and the clouds roll in I am trying to drop all my plans and get out on the lake to fish. These fish are addicting!

It is getting better and better out there on Lake Monroe for fly fishing for these crazy strong Hybrid Bass. We call them Wipers cause they are a hybrid between a White Bass and a Striped Bass. If you have never caught one you are really missing out! Some people say they are the strongest fighting freshwater fish.

Recently the fishing for them has been really picking up and typically you can expect to go out and catch a lot of small fish. This year we have been seeing a lot of fish in the 10 to 14 inch range, which is interesting cause I don't remember that from last year. They are fun cause they will entertain you until you get slammed by an 8 pounder running at 30 mph for you boaters out there thats roughly 27.2 knots!!!!

It is an exciting fishing experience that is fortunately right down the road from us here in Bloomington.
So the next time the wind picks up and the rain starts to roll in get out there and give it a try it is tons of fun. If you need to know what gear to take, where to go, and what to fish with come on down to the shop on Friday or Saturday, and we can plan out your next outing.

Summer Fishing Update

2011-08-20T16:04:00.011-04:00

Summertime fishing has been good lately especially on farm ponds! We have just been catching uncountable numbers of panfish out there on Hopper and Dropper Rigs!

This is a really fun way of fishing cause sometimes they dunk your hopper and sometimes the explode out of the water with it. Both are fun to anticipate. Here's Matt Hill with some good fish he caught on the fly rod!

We just recieved plenty of topwater terrestrials in the shop,hoppers,spiders,beetles,etc.

I got to go up and fish Sugar Creek this summer which was just beautiful water, it is more of a river than a Creek. It would be ideal water to float down and fish along the way. We caught several good fish when we were wading but I can imagine many more from a boat.

Lake Monroe as you all know was WAY high this spring, now the water is coming way back down again to its summer pool, and I am excited to wade out and fish this fall. Lots of customers have been asking me how the Wiper fishing has been lately. I tell them it can be done! Wiper fishing is a total game you have to play, especially if you don't have a boat everything has to be just right. You need to pay attention to the weather and the wind and use them to your advantage. It is best to fish the bank that the wind is hitting. I was fishing from the dam a few weeks back and saw an amazing Big Fish Blitz, a school of a couple thousand fish were ganging up on some shad and sending splashes 3 feet in the air I watched it with my very own eyes. The whole time I was wishing I was in a boat. So they are feeding and they can be caught, you just have to find them and get close enough for a cast. Easier said then done most of the time.

Here are a couple of photos from our trip up to Michigan back in June, We had tons of fun fishing with the Indigo Guides up there. We had a hilariously good time fishing with Matt Dunn on the PM for a couple days chasing Pike and Brown Trout, and got our first taste of Mousing! Which was sweeeeet.

For the entire album of our Beaver Island and Pere Marquette Trip check out this site:

http://hoosierhighways.com/v-web/gallery/Michigan-trip

Rain, Rain, Fish, Rain

2011-05-26T11:22:00.014-04:00

It rained again today here in Southern Indiana, on my way to the store I noticed some incredible wind damage just south of Downtown Bloomington. I don't know if a tornado touched down or if it was just crazy wind gusts but there were huge trees down everywhere!
This has been a crazy spring so far, with all the rain it has made the fishing pretty tough. This April we had the highest recorded rainfall in history! Lake Monroe was 18 or 19 feet above normal pool level, and the water was spilling over the emergency spillway for only the second time in the lakes history, I think I heard it was 1998 when it happened first.

Attempting to find fish on Fairfax point in late March....no luck

Needless to say all of the water has made fishing pretty tough, I havn't caught a wiper on the lake yet this year. I have watched others catch a few on the fly but very few. Wading on fairfax has been impossible, and at times the entire parking lot was under water!
You can catch fish, but you just have to go find places that you might not usually fish. Drive around, pick up a map, explore a little and you will find fish. You just got to go where the fish are, and keep your flies in the water.
Here are a few photos of fish from this year so far.

All the water we have been getting this spring has made the fishing pretty tough. It will be healthy though for our waterways, and will help us out if we get another bad drought this summer. The smallmouth bass have been getting very aggressive recently! Make sure you pick up some bug spray before you go out, cause the bugs are loving all the moisture as well.

We are really excited to have added Ross Reels to our fly fishing arsenal. Come on in and check them out! Good luck, hope to see you soon.
Ben

New Gear, Spring is Here

2011-03-12T11:48:00.010-05:00

Now that Spring is in the air we have a number of new styles at J.L. Waters!

The Patagonia Half Mass
Great for everyday use and bicycle commuting

Come in and see our new selection of Chico Bags
They fold down into their own pockets

The always fashionable Ben West wearing the Daypack 20 Chico Bag

We have new tents in as well from a solo expedition to a family outing

Black Diamond Spot: 75 lumens for $39.95

Need a new stove? We have a variety of options from the Snow Peak Delta Pod that puts out a scorching 14,000 BTUs to the Snow Peak Starter kit which is great for solo trips into the woods.

Don't forget our basement!!
We have a full selection of canoes, kayaks and accessories

Fishin' photos 2010

2011-01-22T14:42:00.016-05:00

2010 was a fishy year! It was great to get to fish out in the Northwest for the first time. I also enjoyed getting to know the local rivers and lakes here in Southern Indiana.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the year some of them you all may not have seen yet. They were all taken in Indiana, Virginia, North Carolina, and Oregon.

So I am already looking forward to the spring, and will surely be out on the water as soon as it is water again.
Come on in the shop sometime, I work on Saturdays for January and February.
I recently put all of the Reels in stock on sale at 30%OFF and All Wading Boots at 50% OFF
So come on in and get geared up for spring, cause it will be here before you know it!

See you soon
Ben West

Congratulations on your New Bike!

2010-12-11T09:15:00.003-05:00

We just watched our lucky winner Nathan walk out the door with his new Cannondale that he won!

Last Chance on Bike Giveaway!

2010-12-04T11:03:00.003-05:00

Next Friday December 10th
we will be drawing our winner for the Cannondale Mountain Bike.
If you havn't seen it yet, it is in the front of the store.

Come on in and sign up to win. Its Free!

2010-11-29T15:09:00.003-05:00

I've never had a case of bass thumb like this before...

2010-10-26T22:27:00.009-04:00

So I went fishing this evening after all of the tornado warnings and about an inch of rain. I pulled into the parking lot of the beach and immediately saw that there were no vehicles parked there, but there were lots of sea gulls hanging out in the bay right there... always a good sign. So I suited up and headed out there. Here's what I found.

Wiper

Lots

of
Wipers
This has been the craziest fly fishing event I have witnessed, I caught about 9 wipers all which were over four pounds. This last fish here was the last one I caught and it weighed probably about 8lbs and was the first fish to take me into my backing!
My drag was zinging! I would love to tell you all about this evening, come in the shop on friday or saturday and I will get you set up to catch some yourself. I may even tell you what flies I was using!

BooYakaSHa!!!

2010-10-24T21:18:00.001-04:00

Time for Wipers!

2010-10-23T11:26:00.005-04:00

So I went down to Fairfax Beach earlier in the week to check out what all the fuss was about this wiper fishing down there. I had never caught a Hybrid before. For those who don't know what a "Wiper" is, it is a hybrid bass, a mix between a white bass and a striper, hence "Wiper" .
As the water temperature cools down in the fall, you can find these fish cruising in the shallows and ambushing the schools of baitfish (Shad) ... So off of the point there at Fairfax you can wade out pretty far and catch fish on the flats. I had never been out there but had heard a lot of good things about these fish. So Anna and I headed down there to check it out. I came stocked with clouser minnows, Anna was fishing a Medium sized grey and white, and I was fishing a large chartreuse and white.

She started catching fish right off the bat, the landed a couple of crappie, white bass, and a dandy largemouth bass, right in the shallows of the cove.

We went out there when there was a chance of rain, there was definitely a front coming through,it was really windy from the north, and looked like rain was coming. This is ideal weather for wiper fishing. They are more active in the early morning, late evening, and especially when it is overcast and raining. The more miserable the weather the better the fishing is going to be. We carry waders, wading boots, rain jackets, and lots of suitable rods and reels for these awesome fish.

I caught two smaller wipers, but let me tell you what these fish SLAMMED my fly and put a great fight. I can't imagine catching a 8-10 lb wiper. They will take you for a ride, it is a ton of fun and at any given moment you could have a fish of a lifetime on, and ripping your drag about to spool you and steal your fly line!

If you have questions concerning gear, flies, directions to the beach, etc. stop in the shop and I will help you out. I work on Friday 12-6 and Saturday 9-6

This weekend should be good with the rain coming in! Good luck!

Nice Wiper about 18"

Oregon: its a Fishy kind of State

2010-09-17T11:30:00.036-04:00

Wow! I forgot how hot and muggy it can be here in Southern Indiana. I just got back from my trip up to Oregon, and it felt like winter out there.

So Anna and I flew out to Portland, and we were picked up by my friend Paul. I met Paul while working in an Outdoor Shop out in Wyoming a few years ago. We have been friends ever since and usually try to go on a fishing trip once a year. Last year we fished for ten days in Western Wyoming. This year we decided to go fish with him in his home state, and see what all the buzz is about steelhead fishing.

We started out fishing the Salmon River near Mt. Hood. Paul has a cabin just up the hill from this small tributary to the Sandy River.
It was a beautiful River, and we saw a few really awesome steelhead that we were sight fishing to in some large slow pools. We saw several fish that were easily 30 inches or more, but none of them were co-operating. After fishing a few mornings for those picky steelhead and being completely ignored, we did a little dry fly fishing to redeem ourselves on this tiny creek behind Pauls cabin.
It worked! We didn't get skunked, some of the most beautiful cutthroats I have seen.

We fished the Deschutes River the first week, it is a much bigger river than the Salmon, one that can't be crossed on foot. It is about an hour east of Mount Hood, we passed through the town of Maupin on our way down the river. It was the first time I got to practice my Spey Casting with my new Temple Fork Switch Rod. I bought an 11 foot Deer Creek 7Wt for this trip and I paired it up with a large Galvan Reel that Paul let me borrow.We fished hard on the Deschutes that day and didn't catch Steelhead. Not even a yank, but thats how it goes when fishing for steelhead. But a full day of swinging flies and spey casting, was good practice and we weren't about to give up trying. Here is the sunset with Mount Hood in the background. So after getting skunked on the Deschutes, we headed out to a river that must not be named, its Pauls favorite river, and we soon found out why.
Thats Rocksie she's an Australian Coulie, and thats Hell's Canyon behind her. We drove down into the canyon on a really sketchy road and got down to the water right at dark. We could hardly sleep that night cause we were so excited to fish in the morning.

This was the pool that I hooked my first Steelhead in it was pretty exciting this was the second day that we fished on this particular river, and we hadn't caught a steelhead until I drifted my nymph rig about 20 ft down in this giant hole below me. The fish took a pink bead black steelhead copper john on my third drift. I was fishing with my six weight Temple Fork Axiom.
I was really glad it had the fighting butt on it for this fish. I just held on for dear life as it dove down about thirty feet into the pool. It was a nice wild fish, you can tell its not a hatchery steelhead cause it has it's adipose fin there in the back. CHEERS!
The fish were not in the river in the numbers that we were expecting after fishing hard for two days and only catching one steelhead, we decided to head down to a river we heard there was some really good trout fishing. So we drove down to check it out.

All I'm gonna say is the fishing was INSANELY good.... check it out

I almost forgot, we also caught a few Bass!
There are a lot of stories to tell from this trip, and I want to hear about all of your fishing adventures too, so come on down to the shop and lets Catch up.
Cheers

New Toys! ( that can set a log on fire in 30 seconds)

2010-08-20T10:43:00.004-04:00

This is for all of you Pyromaniacs, Primitive Skills enthusiasts, and anyone who is looking for a fast campfire or easy way to get the grill going.

The new GigaPower 2Way Torch from Snow Peak. This is a high powered torch that has a maximum output of 14,000BTU's.

As far as fuel goes it can be used with either a butane canister or a CB Cartridge and it comes with an adapter.

Boys and Toys

Fishing Report: July

2010-07-31T13:43:00.008-04:00

So July has just flown by, It seems like yesterday that we were watching fireworks. It has been a great month for fishing though. We had a lot of rain in June, and continued to get pretty steady rains at the beginning of July. That rain keeps the fish happy and hungry. I have been fishing some of the local streams and found a lot of nice Smallmouth Bass, and they are what I'm in pursuit of. I have also been finding Spotted or Kentucky Bass, Longear Sunfish, Carp, and Gar.

Longear Sunfish: So Beautiful, I have been seeing these fish on their nests recently, and they are pretty aggressive. This was a fish that took a small minnow imitation while I was fishing for smallmouth. The patterns and colors on these fish are just awesome.

Here's a nice Spotted Bass I caught this month

The Bass have been really feisty recently, and on a good day you can catch quite good numbers and have a good chance of catching some large ones as well. I have been fishing solely streamers that look like Sculpins, Minnows, and Crawfish. But if you have any that look like Giant Pudgy four inch long Green Caterpillars they might work too! hehehe

Match the Hatch Right?

Recently I have been fishing with the more natural colored patterns, because the water has been so clear recently. But if the water is up after a rain and has short visibility I will switch to a very flashy pattern or Black colored streamers work well when the water is dirty. I think that the fish are active enough right now to be looking for meals on top of the water as well, I would give poppers and grass hoppers a try for some awesome topwater takes.

I have been fishing with a sinking tip line when using streamers. I like that the sink tip is clear or black making your presentation a little more stealthy than a bright colored floating line. We carry a few lines with clear intermediate and full sink tips on them, and they will add 10-15 ft of "camouflaged" line to your presentation.

Here is Anna with really nice Smallmouth Bass that she caught just last evening. It took minnow pattern that was about 3" long. In the creeks I have been finding most of the fish hanging out near the deep pools. Other likely places to find fish will be in the shade, or in riffles and sometimes in Shallower Flats above and below pools or runs.

The fishing this month has been awesome, I'm sorry to see it go but excited for August. I just ordered some amazing streamer heads called Fish Skulls that will be coming in at the beginning of August. Check them out at this site.

http://flymenfishingcompany.org/products/fish-skull/

I ordered a wide range of colors in the Small and Medium sizes. They are SWEET!

I'm looking forward to exploring more water in August and can't wait cause I'm heading to Oregon to fish for Steelhead for a few weeks at the end of the month! I've never been to the North West and I have never caught a Steelhead.
Let me know if there is anything you all would like to see in the shop, and come on in to J. L. Waters any Thursday or Friday 12-6pm or Sat 9am-6pm and lets share some fishing stories.
Tight lines!
Ben West

JUST IN: Lightweight Bicycle Touring Tent

2010-07-16T12:03:00.007-04:00

The Mountain Hardware: Ghisallo 1 is our newest addition to our tent lineup. It is a tent designed for bike tours. Its a one person freestanding two pole tent, and it has a giant 10 square ft. vestibule on the side to cover your bike and all of your gear! Palmer our shop dog, fully approves of the vestibule and claims it's spacious enough for his writhing sleep habits.

This tent weighs in at a slim 3lb 5oz and has a new Sil Nylon Fly to keep you dry.

NEW: Climbing Guide Books in 3D!

2010-06-24T10:07:00.008-04:00

So if you are planning any epic climbing trips this summer, you should definitely stop by the shop and check out our selection of rock climbing guide books. We have dozens of books for different climbing destinations all over the country.

We just received FIVE new books to the shop by the Extreme Angles Publishing Co.

They are really great books with all the details and knowledge you can handle, plus a lot of hilarious photos as well.

The new Red River Gorge book will be coming out sometime in July, and we will be the first ones to get them so stay in touch and we will let you know as soon as we get them in.

Oh! Also we just got in some super aggressive climbing shoes.

The 5 10 Team

Come in and check them out!
see you soon

The New Guy

2010-06-10T11:13:00.010-04:00

Hey, this is Ben West the new fly fishing manager of the shop, I just wanted to share some photos of my fishing adventures, and a little bit about myself.

I grew up in a small town in central Virginia called Crozet, which is nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains and ten minutes from the Shenandoah National Park. In middle school I learned to fish on a farm pond that was right across the street from my house, fishing for Largemouth Bass and Bluegill. This is a photo of my neighbors pond, where I learned to fish.

I have explored a lot of rivers and lakes in VA and have a few spots that I like to go and catch BIG Smallmouth and Muskies. I am really excited to fish the rivers of Indiana, I have been poking around some of the small creeks around here and have seen some GIANT smallmouth but have yet to catch any. Last week I had an interesting day of fishing with Matt, in which I was Cursed by the "Googs" or "Google Eye" or Rock Bass. I caught about 30 of them an not a single smallmouth, but i did catch my second spotted bass of my life, which was cool.
Any way here a few more photos of fish.

I have been living for the last four years outside of Asheville, NC going to school at Warren Wilson College. The fishing in Western North Carolina is Awesome! I was fishing a lot of Creeks and Rivers there for trout mostly. The mountain streams are clean, cold, and beatiful. I got to explore a lot of water on the weekends.

These are a few photos of my Girlfriend Anna Dale, who also went to Warren Wilson College. I was teaching her to Fly Fish this past school year, and she is doing really well.

In May I graduated with a degree in Fine Art, painting was my focus, and for my Senior Project I did a series of oil paintings of trout that I encountered last summer in Wyoming. These are photos of three of the five. I have sold the first two shown here, and one other, but still have the third one shown here and one other available.

So thats a little about me, now I want to get to know all of you who fly fish here in Indiana, so shoot me an email, flyfish.jlwaters@gmail or just come on down Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Tight lines!
Ben

I wish I were backpacking for trout

2010-05-30T15:39:00.003-04:00

But I'm not. I'm moving to Michigan to fish mainly from a drift boat, and no doubt that is more awesome than anything I can imagine right now, but I hope I can find some backpacking there as well, because backpacking to isolated and wild trout has is a special place in my heart.

Most of my backpacking for trout has been in the southern Appalachians, particularly in Nantahala National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in Pennsylvania and out west in Colorado, New Mexico and California. The southern Apps are an easy six hour drive away from Bloomington and offer thousands of miles of trails into the backcountry, most of which run right next to and often cross over (or directly through) beautiful mountain cricks (no, not creeks). These cricks hold mostly small fish, but they are thoroughly wild fish and absolutely beautiful, wary and very aggressive if approached with caution. Oftentimes there are native fish in these waters, native southern strain brook trout, a variety of fish unique to the southern Appalachians.

Native southern strain brook trout:

Fishing on Raven Fork:

Golden Trout Wilderness in California:

Golden trout:

Backcountry creek, San Juan Wilderness Colorado:

Rio Grande cutthroat from that creek:

Backcountry lake, Gunnison National Forest Colorado:

Cutthroat from said lake:

Gila National Forest, New Mexico:

Rainbow from the bottom of that canyon:

Backcountry lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado:

Greenback cutthroat from that lake:

Backcountry fish are not particularly choosy about flies, and the farther you get away from roads, the less choosy they are. And once you're six or seven miles up into the 3500-4000 foot elevation in the Smokies fishing a creek that's not more than 10' wide, scrambling over boulders and under the outstretched arms of giant rhododendrons, those fish get downright stupid. But they are extremely skittish, so wear muted, natural colors and keeping low often helps to remain undetected.

I prefer to fish a shorter rod on these small mountain creeks not necessarily because it makes casting in tight cover easier, but because you don't necessarily need a long rod. I fish dry flies 99% of the time in the backcountry and make casts which at the longest may be 35 or 40 feet. Most of the time you're casting 10-15 feet. I also prefer fishing a lighter rod for these same reasons in addition to the fact that you're not going to be fighting many fish over 10".

My backcountry rod is Temple Fork Outfitters Finesse 7'9" 3wt. It is a very soft, slow action graphite rod that is joy to cast and to land small, wild fish on. I've fished the same rod out west in mountain creeks and it is perfect there as well. But the fish in high mountain lakes out west tend to be larger than in the creeks and you'll get bent right over by a three pound lake fish on a 3wt, so I'd recommend a 5wt if you plan to do a lot of lake fishing.

More important than the rod, however, is your other gear. Backpacking is hard enough as it is, and backpacking with fishing gear is really going above and beyond. There is nothing ultralight about it, particularly if you take wading boots and waders. I always use wading boots if I'm wading, even though they're heavy, because you need to protect your feet. I've been using Patagonia's Sticky Rubber Riverwalkers and they are a great boot that is also quite lightweight for the support they offer, just over 2lbs. I always wear neoprene booties with gravel guards when I'm wading. Wading high mountain creeks is not easy and stubbing toes, scraping rocks and even rattlesnakes are part of the experience.

Waders, on the other hand, are an easy way to cut weight. Most of the year wet wading will do just fine, though the creeks can be quite cold at 4500' in the Smokies or 10,000' in the Rockies, even in July. One option is to get a pair of ultralight waders like Orvis' new Pack and Travel Sonic Seam waders which weigh in at less than 2.5lbs.

Other fishing gear can be kept to a minimum. Nippers, forceps, tippet and leaders are all necessary and despite the absurdity of it, if you plan to do any nymphing, so is a small box of split shot. Backcountry trout are not terribly selective, so a small fly box (like Cliff's Day's Worth) is perfect. Stock it with Elk Hair Caddis (#12-16), Parachute Adams (#12-18), some big stimulators (#8-10) and some generic nymphs like bead head Hares Ears and Pheasant Tails (#12-16) for dry-dropper rigs. I usually throw in a couple beadhead Wooly Buggers (#8-10) in black and white just in case. While a chest pack or waist pack is convenient, all of these things can be kept in pockets for short wades. Most backpacks also come with top compartments that can be converted into waist packs for longer wades to store water bottles, snacks, rain gear and a camera.

While it adds significant weight, I always keep my rod in a hard case when it is strapped to my pack. Fly rods are fragile and backpacking is rough business, so it's necessary weight in my opinion.

Because all this fishing gear weighs 10-15lbs, try to keep your other essentials as light as possible. I use a Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, a non-free standing tent which weighs right around 4lbs. I use Marmot's Never Winter, a 30 degree down bag which weighs less than 2.5lbs. I'm only cold on the coldest nights of May and September. I suck it up and use a 3/4 length Ridge Rest which weighs almost nothing but also feels like almost nothing though it does a good job keeping me warm, but if you have the money, a Cascade Designs Prolite, or better yet NeoAir, would be ideal and make both sleeping and carrying your pack a lot more comfortable. Titanium cookware like Snowpeak is also pricey, though again, will make your trip a lot more enjoyable because your pack will weigh less...and because you are using cool titanium cookware.

Because this is not an ultralight venture, you need a beefy backpack. I was using a Gregory pack for years and it did fine, but last Spring I picked up a pack that made backcountry fishing a lot more comfortable for me: the Osprey Argon 70. Because I have the XL size my pack is actually 76 liters in capacity, which is plenty big to carry all the fishing gear and camping gear I need plus good food, a flask of whiskey and even a bottle or two of strong beer.

Eating and drinking well in the backcountry with the Argon 70:

The Argon can handle loads up to 70lbs and does so comfortably. The frame and hip and shoulder straps are hell for stout. There are several different access points including a zipper which runs vertically down the length of the main compartment which makes getting things out of the middle of the pack a breeze. The top compartment converts to a waist pack and even has a little foam frame to make carrying ten pounds in it comfortable and stable. All of the zippers are super tough and have zipper pulls that are fixed open by a piece of plastic which makes opening and closing the zippers a cinch, just hook one finger in and pull.

The best feature of this pack for a backpacking fisherperson, however, is the stretchy mesh pocket on the outside of the main compartment which is designed to carry wet gear in so it dries and doesn't soak all your other stuff. It just so happens that a pair of wading boots (even my size 13 clodhoppers) fit in that pocket perfectly. Never again will I put a wet, disgusting pair of wading boots in the main compartment of my backpack.

My trusty Argon before a trip to Raven Fork with wet wading boots in the stretch mesh pocket:

Of course all these features and luxuries make the pack heavy by itself, the XL weighs over 7lbs, but when you're carrying forty five to fifty pounds of gear and food, you don't want a lightweight pack. If the weight of the Argon puts you off, the Osprey Aether is another viable option. It weighs a couple of pounds less and can still handle a fifty pound load reasonably well.

So now that you're all geared up and ready to go, where will you fish? As I mentioned at the outset, most trails follow a creek right up into the mountains. One of my favorite things to do is pack 5-10 miles into a centrally located backcountry campsite and do day trips from there. What follows are descriptions of a couple good options for this kind of trip In Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Hazel Creek is maybe the most famous trout water in the park though I've actually never fished it, maybe for that reason. It is a large and long river by park standards, and offers many backpacking options, though to avoid an 8 or 13 mile hike in, most people take a ferry across Fontana Lake to the trailhead. There are four campsites on Hazel Creek, but from what I've heard, they can be quite crowded. Hazel Creek may be good, but I have a hard time believing it's good enough to warrant dealing with other anglers when you can have a much better backcountry experience on other creeks where the fishing is probably just as good.

Forney Creek is the watershed just to the east of Hazel. It is far less crowded, though wild pigs can be a problem at the campsite next to the lake. Campsite #70, about 6.5 miles from the trailhead at the end of the "Road to Nowhere" offers great fishing for rainbows and brookies and Jonas Creek, a tiny tributary that enters Forney at the campsite, has a ton of wily native brook trout.

Forney Creek near site #70:

Site #59 and #58 on Deep Creek, to the east of Forney, about 5 and 6 miles respectively from the trailhead at Deep Creek, offer some great rainbow and brown trout fishing and more brookie-heavy water can be found at #57, 56, 55, and 54 which are roughly 7, 8, 9 and 10 miles from the trailhead.

Decent Deep Creek rainbow:

One of my favorite sites for a quick one night trip is Campsite #49 at the end of Cabin Flats Trail, just over 5 miles from the trailhead at Smokemont off rt.441 that bisects the park. Bradley Fork runs through some awe inspiring old growth forest and has a healthy population of both rainbows and brook trout.

Bradley Fork on the trail to Cabin Flats:

Bradley Fork about 1/2 mile upstream of site #49:

Old growth forest along Bradley Fork:

Raven Fork is well known as the best and biggest brookie water in the Smokies and the Enloe Creek campsite #47 in Raven Fork is only 3 miles from the trailhead at Straight Fork Road, though it is a brutal climb up and over the ridge from the road, something like 2500 vertical feet in less than 2 miles. Then the problem is that Raven Fork also happens to be the biggest river in the Smokies without a trail next to it. So you have to jump right in and start climbing. The river is difficult to wade on the best of days, with house and car sized boulders, class V waterfalls, and all manner of downed trees and limbs to contend with. It is a difficult and dangerous place. But upper Raven Fork is also one of the most wild places east of the Mississippi and worth a visit if you have a partner or two to go with you and some backcountry know-how.

Raven Fork upstream of site #47:

Big Creek offers some excellent backcountry fishing options with campsites #37 and 36 at Metcalf Bottoms about 6 miles from the trailhead at Big Creek. Big Creek is a big creek, as you may have guessed, and has the promise of some nice rainbows pushing 10" and probably a couple even larger. But just above the campsites several small tributaries enter the river and contain exclusively native southern strain brook trout. So this makes for a nice couple day base camp with larger rainbow trout water and small, native brookie water within easy striking distance.

Click here to watch a video I made that includes footage from Raven Fork, some of the tributaries to Big Creek and a lot of other backcountry creeks in the southern Appalachians.

All of these watersheds are on the NC side of the park. While I've fished on the TN side a bit, because I lived on the NC side I'm much more familiar with it (and think it's better). But as I said above, the options on either side of the park are incredible and what I've detailed above is just a tiny sampling.

So gear up, and when the thick, 95 degree Indiana humidity starts to wear on you this July, head down to the mountains and start walking uphill. The higher you go, the cooler it gets.

new in clothing

2010-04-25T11:07:00.001-04:00

The Marmot Paceline jacket ($149.95) may be the coolest new technical piece we've seen in some time. It is super lightweight at 8oz, extremely packable, completely windproof and waterproof to 45psi, twice as breathable as Gore Tex, super stretchy and soft to the touch.

This jacket has blown our minds.

If you need a shell to protect you during aerobic activities like hiking, backpacking, cycling, running, cross country skiing, whatever, the Paceline is definitely something to check out.

fishing report for April 17th

2010-04-17T18:56:00.000-04:00

Got out for a couple hours on Thursday the 16th on our local smallmouth creek. Water temp was 66. Seems there are some more fish around than a few weeks ago. The 2 inches of rain and warm weather have really helped spread the fish out a bit. I caught a couple smallmouth on the small side of average, an average spotted bass, and quite a few healthy rock bass. Most fish came on a large lead eyed olive wooly bugger, though I think any natural colored 2-3" long fly fished close to the bottom will produce.

Was out on the creek again today (Saturday) and things were about the same.

The fishing for largemouth, crappie, and bluegill has been much better than anything else (except of course muskie). Wiper didn't seem to materialize this year and the smallmouth haven't turned on locally, though I've heard of a couple nicer smallmouth being caught over the last couple weeks. Hopefully things will change soon.

muskie report

2010-04-06T20:27:00.001-04:00

horse pens 40 guidebook

2010-03-24T22:28:00.005-04:00

There isn't too much climbing here in south central Indiana. The Red River Gorge is the "local" option for most of our resident climbers and a fine option it is. But if you want to travel a bit further and experience another world class climbing destination that's doable in a weekend, you need to check out Horse Pens 40.

The Horse Pens 40 is known as one of the finest bouldering areas in the world. The sheer amount and variety of problems could keep you busy for a lifetime. And setting out for a bit of bouldering is a different kind of endeavor than your typical climbing trip. You don't need ropes or hardware. Just your climbing shoes, chalk bag, crash pad and an analytical mind.

We're happy to say that we've received a good stock of the best, and hard to find, guide book for the Horse Pens 40. Stop in an check it out. And while you're in, you might want to take a look at some of the many other climbing guides we have for the region. There is a small sample shown below.

Our own alumnus Mel on one of the Horse Pens' unique boulders:

fishing report for March 17th

2010-03-17T10:28:00.001-04:00

I fished five days over the past two weeks or so on our local creek for smallmouth and only caught fish on the first and coldest day when water temps were in the upper 30s. Go figure. Water temps were in the low 50s last Monday afternoon (March 8th) but the fish were nowhere to be found. The creek was full of algae and other vegetation making wading slippery and fouling crayfish patterns pretty bad.

The rain we got in the last few days did bring the water up a bit and add some stain, but nothing too dramatic. It didn't have the scouring effect I had hoped for and there is still significant algae and plant growth. Water temp was 54 yesterday (March 16th) around 3pm. With the still-cool nights I imagine this is a high water temperature for the day with lows in the 40s. But this week looks good with highs in the mid 60s every day so get out in the afternoon and hopefully the fish will be out as well.

I fished for wiper five times in the last week and have not hooked up yet. The lake has been right at summer pool for a while now. There was still a good layer of ice across almost the entire lake as recently as Saturday March 6th, but that all pretty much melted by Tuesday the 9th. Shad have moved onto the flats and I caught an average largemouth (or was it a spotted bass?) the other night that was in 6" of water busting them on the surface. Water temp was 48 yesterday (March 16th) at 6:00pm. The fish should be getting active any day now, it's just a matter of finding them.

We're stocked up for the season with new flies and leaders and tippet and we have a good selection of rods, reels, a wall full of great Cortland lines, and new Patagonia and Orvis wading gear. If you're looking for some new fly fishing gear this season, now is the time to do it. Our selection is the biggest it will be all year, so stop in and take a look.

March Michigan steelhead

2010-03-01T23:19:00.002-05:00

There were some big changes this year on the Pere Marquette River in Michigan. The lamprey weir, pretty much a big electric fence used to keep invasive lampreys out of the upper river, has been shut off for good (it apparently wasn't a very good barrier in the first place). The weir just also happened to prevent steelhead from moving up river until temperatures warmed in April. Indigo Guide Service is predicting the first banner March steelhead season in many years, so they're offering some great deals on March trips. Check them out here and get 'em while they're still available.

Here is a great shot of Indigo Guide Steve Martinez hoisting some fine late February PM steel:

Wild and Scenic Film Fest tonight

2010-02-25T10:09:00.002-05:00

At the Buskirk- Chumley theater. 6:30pm. $10. Tickets still available at JL Waters.

GAMBLER'S SALE!

2010-02-17T00:12:00.001-05:00

Winter clearance starts today, Wednesday the 17th, and runs through Saturday the 20th. ALL clothing, select footwear, camping, and fly fishing is on sale. Take 10% off on Wednesday, 20% off on Thursday, 30% off on Friday, and 40% off on Saturday. Pick up what you want at 10%, or take a gamble that it will still be around on Saturday...

Good luck.

biomechanics of fly casting

2010-01-04T12:02:00.002-05:00

The Federation of Fly Fishers has put together an article on the casting mechanics that separate "good" casters (~70') from "elite" casters (~80'). This is a very informative and interesting piece based on video analysis of casters. I highly recommend it to any fly caster out there whether you're dropping 100' bombs or squeaking out 35' with the wind.

Going for Distance (PDF)

last minute gift suggestions

2009-12-18T19:51:00.012-05:00

CRKT (Columbia River Knife and Tool) is new in the store and rounds out our large selection of folding knives very well. We also carry a healthy selection of Kershaw, Victorinox, and Benchmade knives.

Matt H. has picked out three CRKT knives that would make great gifts- the M21 ($46.95) and two variations on the Hitchcock Hole in One ($38.95). The M21 is an awesome, utilitarian, everyday carrying knife with a stainless steel blade and stainless interior handle with synthetic G10 scaled grip. If someone on your list wants or needs a simple folding pocket knife, this is a great choice.

Both Hitchcock Hole in One models feature a new open-grip design and side folding closing action which allows for a variety of different hand positions during use. They both have a spring action carabiner which permits quick clipping and unclipping to belt loops, backpacks, and accessory cord. The 5150 Hole in One has five holes in the top edge of the blade to reduce weight while the 5160 has a solid blade. Either knife is a great gift item for the person who already has a collection or is just into things that are different.

Snow Peak Starter Kit

Maybe you know someone who wants to get into backpacking or is already into backpacking but wants to reduce the weight of their pack. Have you ever heard them say "ultralight?" Maybe they are into kayak touring and are looking to cut down on the bulk of their gear. If you're looking for a gift for someone like this, then the Snow Peak Starter Kit ($84.95) is a fine idea.

The kit comes with a Giga Power Stove (IsoButane, auto ignition, stainless steel, ultralight backpacking stove), the Snow Peak 700 Titanium pot/mug (24 fl. oz.), and Titanium Spork. The whole thing, minus fuel, weighs in at an anemic 8.6oz. That is very, very light for stove, cookware, and utensil. Arguably the best thing about this kit is that two canisters of fuel (not included), the stove, and the spork all fit compactly and securely in the pot.

Snow Peak Giga Power Lantern

Speaking of Snow Peak, if you already have all those isobutane canisters, why not have an ultralight, auto-ignition latern to use them with as well? This is a really slick gift for the backpacker or camper that has it all. These tiny lanterns are super powerful, producing 80 watts of light for 4 hours and 20 minutes on a single 110gr fuel canister. That is crazy. Impress the gearhead outdoorsperson on your list, buy them this lantern ($75.95).

Outdoor Designs Down Booty

Maybe you know someone who is always complaining that their feet are cold? END IT NOW! Buy these booties. When they wear them they will complain that their feet are TOO HOT! They are only $39.95. You cannot afford to miss this oppotunity. Silence their whining with hot feathers!

Hemingway on Fishing

This is one of our best selling books and for good reason- if there was one thing Hemingway knew well, it was fishing. This collection includes early newspaper and magazine articles Hemingway wrote about fishing from bluewater marlin to central European fly fishing. It also includes excerpts from classics such as "Big Two Hearted River" and "The Old Man and the Sea." At only $14.95, it is the perfect gift for the reader and/or outdoorsperson on your list.

Cliff Headliner

When I was fishing up in Michgan last month with Indigo Outfitters, I noticed (and it wasn't too difficult to notice) all the flies stuck into the upholstery on the roof of the guides' vehicles. You know how to avoid that? Buy the fisherperson on your list a Cliff Headliner- they can stick their flies in that instead. It will save their car and maybe yours too ($9.95)

Black Diamond Primrose and Momentum Package

These men's and women's packages include a harness that's great for beginners but is clean in design and function as well and will last. They also include a chalk bag, a belay device, and locking carabiner. They are set to hit the gym or crags with friends. Just make sure to remind them they'll probably need a rope too. This starter package is a great deal at just $109.95.

TFO Mini Mag 6-8wt Kit

Temple Fork Outfitter's 8', 3pc, Mini Mag rod kit ($299.95) includes the rod, a cast Prism large arbor reel, an 8wt big-fly fly line, big-fly leader, and reel-on case is the ultimate big-fly, big fish setup. Great for largemouth, great for smallmouth, this rig throws big, heavy, air resistant junk and has the power to rip big fish out of deep cover.

Camelback .5l Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle

Featuring the Big Bite valve and loop, this bottle is spill proof, bombproof, and a great water bottle for hiking, backpacking, or just around town ($29.95)

Petzl Tikkina2 Headlamp

This is a great small, lightweight LED headlamp with a high and low setting. It runs on 3 AAA batteries (included) and lasts 190 hours on the low setting ($19.95).

Joby Gorillapod

Gorillapods have been one of the most popular gift purchases this year. They function as a super adjustable tirpod and allow you to easily attach a camera to tree limbs, shelving, or anything else the Gorillapod's legs can wrap around ($21.95).

what's hot in climbing and camping

2009-12-08T15:26:00.003-05:00

La Sportiva Speedster Climbing Shoe

The Speedster was introduced in 2008 and has since become one of the most popular minimalist climbing slippers on the market. The feature that sets this shoe apart is its low profile sole. At only 3mm, it allows for superior sensitivity and a more natural fit and feel. Yet through an innovative upper design, the shoe maintains its original shape and fit over time despite it's ultralight sole.

Osprey Exos 46 Backpack

Winner of an Outside Magazine 2009 Editor's Choice Award, the Exos 46 (2800 cu. in., 2lbs 5oz) is an ultralight pack with a frame and harness system that provides a level of load carrying comfort not typically associated with ultralight design. The super light, ventiliated high density foam shoulder and hip harnesses keep weight down yet provide bulk and stability to carry heavy loads comfortably. They also stretch, allowing for a high level of comfort and precise fit.

The Exos 46 also offers Osprey's Stow-On-The-Go trekking pole system which allows you to stow trekking poles quickly and comfortably while walking in order to free up your hands to take a drink, eat a snack, or crawl over boulders or logs.

Granite Gear Virga Backpack

Taking the ultralight philosophy to the extreme, the Virga is a minimalist's ideal pack, weighing in at a paltry 1lb 3oz yet able to carry an ultralight 20lb load comfortably (3200 cu. in.). The superlight weight stems primarily from the fact that the Virga does not have a frame, relying on your sleeping pad to provide rigidity from the inside. The cushionless hip belt is certainly no-frills, contributing almost nothing to the packs superlight weight.

The Virga is a great compliment to Granite Gear's slightly heavier, more comfortable, ultralight packs the Vapor and Ki, previously reviewed here.

almost live, from the south island

2009-11-20T16:04:00.005-05:00

Russ sends us this awesome picture of him in front of Mount Rolleston (7462') in Arthur's Pass National Park on New Zealand's south island on Nov. 9th. Thanks for shopping with us Russ. We appreciate it.

We'll give you your very own JL Waters banner for your trip. Please, send us a picture. We love pictures.

special flows on the Cumberland

2009-11-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

Troy from Cumberland Trout Guide writes with the following-

"I have just been informed by the Fisheries Biologist for the Cumberland Dave Dreves that they will be conducting a night time fish survey. The Corps will lower the discharge rate to 1 generator (3500cfs). This is a good fishing level and will start at 6am Sunday morning and go on till 2am Tuesday. So I will be booking for Sunday and Monday. If you would like to get out and fish on one of those days call as soon as possible. It may be the last chance to fish the Cumberland river before the cold weather sets in."

Give Troy a call if you want to take advantage of these special flows- (859) 494-4489

fishing report for November 2nd

2009-11-02T15:25:00.003-05:00

Well, it got cold again. The smallmouth were getting active last week and then it rained a bunch and got cold. Clear Creek should be fishing OK this afternoon and tomorrow but cold nights mean the fish will be sluggish in the morning. Mid to late afternoon will be the best times to fish. Fish low and slow. I got out last Thursday and picked up a single decent fish in the afternoon. Water temp was 58 degrees F, which is probably a good bit higher than it is today and will be tomorrow. I picked this fish up on a big lead eyed olive Wooly Bugger tied very bulky and retrieved slowly.

Lake Monroe has come up a bit with the rain but is still fishable from shore at the Dam and Fairfax, though ideal levels should come later this week assuming we don't get any more rain. Fishing is hit or miss for the wiper. They haven't been in either the dam area or Fairfax consistently in any numbers. You have about a 50/50 chance of putting your fly in front of a fish. It's all a numbers game at this point unless something changes dramatically. If you have a boat, you have a huge advantage in covering and getting access to more water.

It is steelhead season people. In both Indiana and Michigan and all over the great lakes region. I'm planning a trip up to Michigan in a few weeks to hit the Pere Marquette and perhaps the Muskegon on the way back down. Indiana has some great steelhead fishing on the St. Joe river, Trail Creek, Salt Creek, and the East Fork of Calumet Creek. Egg sucking leeches, wooly buggers, nymphs, and egg patterns should do the trick. As with the wiper, these fish aren't super picky, but they can be hard to find and hard to approach without spooking, especially in the smaller Indiana creeks.

fishing report for October 14th

2009-10-14T10:49:00.004-04:00

On Monday afternoon Clear Creek was about perfect. It was high, but with good water clarity, just a hint of stain, the emerald and aquamarine of a limestone creek running clear but full to the brim. The low, late afternoon sunlight ripped through the newly colored leaves down the slope and made me quite happy to have this place only 15 minutes from my house.

The fishing wasn't so hot. I picked up one average fish on a big chartreuse and white clouser and missed three others, one on a super flashy chartreuse Murdich minnow variation, over about 1.5 hours of fishing. I saw one of them put the whole fly in their mouth then instantly spit it back out. I was way too slow on the hookset. The second was a nice 15" fish that flashed the fly right at my feet. The third grabbed the fly and held on for two seconds. Either these fish are "flashing" the fly out of aggression or they simply aren't holding on. Or, perhaps, I am slow. On the fish I caught I almost pulled him out of the water on the hookset.

The fish aren't very active right now, the cold weather has slowed them down a good bit I think. Afternoons on warmer days will probably have the best fishing. But with the higher water you don't have to fish low and slow directly on the bottom, in fact, it's hard to fish on the bottom when the water is moving like it is. But slow, purposeful swimming retrieves seem to draw the strikes. Make a hard, popping strip about 10" long, then let the fly settle for a second or two, then pop it again. Fish the deeper, slower water methodically. Large, heavily weighted, bright flies seemed to be the ticket, large Clouser, Meat Wagon, bunny leech, etc.

Before and during the rain late last week the Wipers on Lake Monroe were intermittently hot. If we had some cloud cover and wind over 10mph, seemed like they were on the flats and eating. The lake only came up about 2 feet, so the flats are still fishable. Like I've said before, an intermediate line and stripping basket really make a big difference. I've been bombing 80-90ft casts into the wind with only two false casts. Most intermediate lines are heavier than their floating counterparts, but not as awkward or "hingey" as a sink tip, and they are smaller in diameter. Sure, they are a bit tangly, but my god when you execute a good cast they really fly.

And oh yeah, check out the pig smallmouth I picked up on Sunday from a creek to remain unnamed, but stop in the shop, maybe I'll share.

fishing report for Sept. 30th

2009-09-30T23:03:00.004-04:00

Well, got on Clear Creek for a few hours yesterday. It came down fast after the rain and is pretty clear and fishing the same way it was before the rain. Long casts, crayfish patterns on the bottom retrieved very slowly. I picked up a couple small fish, but nothing spectacular. Hopefully we'll get some more rain soon. I'm floating the Tippecanoe tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Also, picked up a couple smallish wipers on the flats on Monroe last couple days. Should be getting good soon.

fishing report for Sept. 28th

2009-09-28T10:46:00.003-04:00

Yes. We're back. I was in Colorado for a month. It was super. Check out the pictures at the end of this post.

As for Indiana...it is fall. It is officially fall. It's a beautiful, crisp, windy 57 degrees outside as I type this and my blood is pumping in new, exciting and vigorous ways. The fishing should be excellent over the next few days on Clear Creek. We got a good amount of rain late last week into Saturday night, but the river should be dropping today and tomorrow but still have a nice stain to it and with the cold front in place for a few days the fish should be quite aggressive. Throw big streamers in hot colors with lots of flash. Rip them across current, twitch them by eddies, swing them through riffles, the fish should be on. I haven't fished Clear Creek since before the rain early last week, but as soon as I can get out I'll let you know what's happening.

Cooler temperatures also mean that the wiper should hopefully get going again on the flats. As soon as the water temp drops into the 60s things should get good, particularly if the water levels stay right around summer pool. Water temp a few days ago was 73. An intermediate line on an 8wt is recommended, though you can get by with a floating line on the flats. Throw any fly that looks like a baitfish, particularly shad. I find that a gray and white clouser tied about 3-4" long is the most reliable, though they'll eat just about anything.

Brookville is warm. Temps have been hovering around 68 for more than a week. It doesn't fish very well at that temperature. Things have already started cooling off though and last night it hit a decent 66.7, though I don't like to fish it much above 66. Keep an eye on that temp gauge. Any day now. Tricos should be going off pretty well in the mornings and hoppers are always an excellent fall fly at Brookville...especially if you drop a #18-22 tungsten bead zebra midge about 2 feet below it.

Regionally, the Cumberland tailwater in Kentucky is fishing very well. Due to temperature issues in the Wolf Creek hatchery they had to release most, if not all, of the stocker rainbows into the river. This means the action has been steady. #20 Zebra midges, #14-18 Copper Johns and Prince Nymphs, and white streamers are all hot. I floated from the dam to a private take out below Helms Landing last Tuesday with guide Troy Humphrey of Cumberland Trout Guide and we had a pretty good day. Between three of us we probably caught 30-40 stocker rainbows, which were fighting very, very hard for whatever reason, and few nice 14" browns on streamers, and a few nicer holdover rainbows pushing 16". Troy guides out of a 16' Clackcraft drift boat and it is truly the best way to fish a trout river. If you're looking for a guided float trip on the Cumberland, give Troy a shout. It's only 4 hours away.

THIS JUST IN- the Cumberland is apparently blown out right now what with the flash floods down there, so if you are itching to get out on our great Southern Tailwaters, Troy is floating the Clinch in Tennessee until the Cumberland comes back down.

We still have 6 pairs of Orvis breathable waders in stock that are marked 30-40% off. These are incredible deals and when they're gone, they are gone, so if you need waders for the fall, now is the time to stop in. We've got a similar selection of wading boots marked down as well. We also still have 14 Orvis fly lines on sale, and remember that the T3 rods are discontinued so they are marked down as well. And if you buy one of the already marked down T3 rods, we'll throw in an Orvis fly line at cost! Also, we're gearing up for tying season here, with new arrivals every week. Look for a huge shipment from Wapsi this week some time and get stocked up.

Hope to see you all very soon. Now get out and catch some fish.

mid-summer fly fishing clearance sale

2009-07-17T13:17:00.019-04:00

I'll try to keep this updated with what has sold, but if you're coming from any distance I suggest you call ahead to double check. We do not do sales over internet or phone. You must come to the store to purchase these or any other items in the store. If you call ahead we can hold an item until close of business on that day, but no longer.

RODS, REELS, AND LINES- up to 50% off

Orvis T3

9' 4pc 5wt tip-flex 9.5 normally $475, NOW $399.95
buy a 5wt Trout taper Orvis Wonderline with it- normally $69-with rod $34.95

Orvis T3

9' 4pc 7wt tip-flex 9.5 normally $495, NOW $419.95
buy a 7wt Bass taper Orvis wonderline with it- normally $69- with rod $34.95

Orvis Clearwater II

9'6" 4pc 7wt mid-flex 7.5 normally $219- now 40% off- $130.95
buy a 7wt Bass taper Orvis wonderline with it- normally $69- with rod $34.95

Orvis Clearwater II

9' 4pc 6wt tip-flex 9.5 normally $198- now 40% off- $118.95
buy a 6wt Trout or Bass taper Orvis Wonderline with it- normally $69- with rod $34.95

~~Orvis Streamline~~

~~9' 4pc 8wt tip-flex- incredible value on a 4pc rod normally $98- now 40% off- $65.95~~
~~buy an 8wt Bass taper Orvis Wonderline with it- normally $69- with rod $34.95~~

TFO NXT

9' 4pc 8/9wt separated from the rod/reel/line/case combo which runs $179- rod only NOW $79.95
buy an 8wt or 9wt Bass taper Wonderline with it- with rod $34.95

Orvis Rocky Mountain Large Arbor 3/4 Reel, qty: 1

was $75.95, NOW $34.95

Orvis Battenkill Bar Stock IV Reel (7-9wt), qty: 1

was $139, NOW $103.95

TFO MKII Reel (5-8wt), qty: 2

was $209.95, NOW $145.95

TFO MKII spare spool (5-8wt), qty: 2

was $89.95, NOW $53.95

TFO MKI Reel (3-6wt), qty: 1

was $199.95, NOW $139.95

TFO MKI spare spool (3-6wt), qty: 1

was $84.95, NOW $50.95

Orvis Silver Label Line

WF6 floating, qty: 1, was $45, NOW $35.95
WF7 floating, qty: 2, was $45, NOW $35.95

Orvis Wonderline Trout Taper, was $69, NOW $47.95

WF3 floating, qty: 2

~~WF4 floating, qty: 1~~

WF5 floating, qty: 1
WF6 floating, qty: 2

Orvis Wonderline Bass Taper, was $69, NOW $47.95

WF6 floating, qty: 2
WF7 floating, qty: 1

~~WF8 floating, qty: 1~~

WF9 floating, qty: 1

Orvis Wonderline

WF7 Streamer Stripper (4' fast sink tip 5.5-6.5 I.P.S.), qty: 1, was $69, NOW $47.95
WF7 Class V x-tra fast sink tip (15' tip, 5.5-6.5 I.P.S.), qty: 1, was $69, NOW $47.95
WF6I 10' clear intermediate tip, 1.75-2 I.P.S., qty: 1, was $79, NOW $62.95
WF7I 10' clear intermediate tip, 1.75-2 I.P.S., qty: 1, was $79, NOW $62.95

WADERS- up to 50% off

Orvis Clearwater Endura Stockingfoot was $149- NOW $88.95

sz. XL, qty: 1

Orvis Silver Label Stockingfoot was $199- NOW $119.95

sz. lrg, qty: 2
sz. xl, qty: 3

Orvis Pro Guide 3 Stockingfoot was $349- NOW $209.95

sz. sm, qty: 1
sz. lrg, qty: 1

Orvis Green Mountain Bootfoot was $98- NOW $49.95

sz. 8, qty: 2
sz. 13, qty: 1

Orvis High Back Super Stretch Neoprene Stockingfoot was $185- NOW $92.95

sz. med, qty: 1

WADING BOOTS AND SHOES- up to 50% off

Orvis Clearwater Boot felt sole was $69- NOW $40.95

sz. 8, qty: 1

Orvis Wet Wading Shoe felt sole was $89- NOW $52.95

sz. 8, qty: 1
sz. 10, qty: 1
sz.11, qty: 2
sz. 12, qty: 1

Orvis Pack and Travel Boot felt sole was $79- NOW $46.95

~~sz. 10, qty: 1~~
sz. 11, qty: 2

Orvis Battenkill Brogue Boot felt sole was $119- NOW $70.95

sz. 8, qty: 1
sz. 12, qty: 1

Orvis Easy On Side Zip Battenkill Brogue Boot felt sole was $129- NOW $76.95

sz. 7, qty: 1
sz. 12, qty: 1

LUGGAGE

Orvis Safe Passage Kit Bag was $129- NOW $76.95

Orvis Clear Sided Dry Bag (qty: 2) was $78.95- NOW $54.95

Orvis Wader Tote was $49.95- NOW $34.95

B&W Chest Vest I was $59.95- NOW $35.95

APPAREL

Orvis Packable Wading Jacket was $159.95- NOW $95.95

sz. sm, qty: 1
sz. med, qty: 1

BOOKS- 50% off

Abrams "Striper Moon Fly Fishing Technique and Flies for Striped Bass in Estuary, River, Bay and Surf"
Anderson "The Curtis Creek Manifesto"
Brian "What Fly Fishing Teaches Us"
Bruce "Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass"
Chapralis "Le Shack: Avery Special Fishing Place"
Greycliff "Montana Fly Fishing Guide (East)"
Homel "Antique Fly Reels"
Hughes "American Fly Tying Manual"
Hughes "Strategies for Stillwater"
Jaworoski "The Cast" (2)
Kaufman "American Nymph Fly Tying Manual"
Knowles "Backcasts"
Kreh and Middleton "Lefty's Favorite Fly Fishing Waters"
Kumski "Fly Rodding Florida Salt"
LaFontaine "Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes"
Lee "Guiding Elliot"
Lilly and Schullery "A Trout's Best Friend: the angling autobiography of Bud Lilly"
Mandell and Johnson "Tube Flies A Tying, Fishing, and Historical Guide"
Matthews "Western Fly Fishing Strategies"
Meyer "Tying Bass Flies: 12 of the Best"
Meyer "Tying Trout Flies: 12 of the Best"
Meyer "Tying Trout Nymphs: 12 of the Best" (2)
~~Morris "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple"~~
Morris "The Art of Tying the Nymph"
Morris "Tying Foam Flies (2)
Neme "The Soft Hackle Fly Addict"
Shaw "Flies for Fish and Fishermen"
Smith "Fishing the New River"
Steeves and Koch "Terrestrials"
Tabery "Guide to Saltwater Baits and their Imitations" (2)
Thomas "Redfish, Bluefish, Sheefish, Snook"
~~Warren "Tying Glass Bead Flies"~~
Wright "Superior Flies"

the store is quiet these days

2009-07-08T11:07:00.002-04:00

Mainly because Katie left for Australia. I'm not sure who I'll yell with anymore. Be sure to send us some photos of you being a badass down under. Keep up with Katie in Australia on her new blog- Adventures in a Sunburned Country.

fishing report for June 27th

2009-06-27T14:37:00.005-04:00

Things are looking good. After the wicked thunderstorms earlier this week Clear Creek is fishable again. Still a bit of a stain to it, but I think that's good. Hot colors are the ticket when it's up and stained. I caught several fish on Wednesday evening June 24th on a big chartreuse Meat Wagon style pattern: #2 TMC8089, 4"magnum chartreuse rabbit strip tail, chartreuse marabou top wing, white marabou bottom wing, lead eyes, chartreuse palmer chenille in front of the eyes. Also got my first nice smallmouth of the year on a popper. They are definitely willing to eat on top. I got him on a black hard-body popper as it was beginning to get dark around 9:15pm.

Also fished the Brookville tailwater on Thursday June 25th. Flows were perfect for a couple days there, water was clear, and the fish were quite active. Caught around 20 stocker browns and missed or lost that many as well. Caught a decent holdover rainbow and a nice holdover brown too. Most of the fish ate a #22 black Zebra midge with a copper tungsten bead head and copper ribbing dropped 12" beneath a tan Elk Hair Caddis. Caught a couple on a #14 black beetle pattern, one on a #16 tan Elk Hair Caddis (why dropped rigs are good), one on a tungsten beadhead Z-wing Caddis, and I got the big brown on a #26 black parachute/sprout midge on top. Finished the day slaying the stocker browns on a hot pink San Juan worm. Sure, some may say it's cheating, but it sure is fun.

it's tight but it's light

2009-06-26T10:32:00.002-04:00

Just got Sierra Design's Vapor Light 2 in the store. While I am gigantic and Matt is above average, we both sort of fit in the tent. Not exactly roomy, but what else do you expect from a free standing, 2-person tent that weighs less than 4 pounds? STOP TOUCHING MY LEG! Thanks to Will and his iPhone for the picture.

more contest

2009-06-18T20:19:00.003-04:00

Before I put up another "new gear" post I want to follow up Mel's climbing pic with one of Matt's. I don't know much about climbing, so I don't know if this is hard, but it sure looks badass. Certainly much more so than Matt's first appearance on the blog.

honorary degree

2009-06-14T13:31:00.005-04:00

It is with both resigned sadness and new-day optimism that I announce the bestowal of an honorary Most Bad Ass JL Waters Employee Ph.D. on Melanie. She was certainly a front runner in the real contest, but now she's gone and left us for the West coast where, apparently, the climbing is better. Mel, you'll be missed around the shop. Good luck out there and keep in touch.

Rumor has it that Mel painted that arrow with her own blood.

TFO/Sharkskin promotion

2009-06-05T14:38:00.007-04:00

Haven't cast a Sharkskin yet? For shame fly fisher, for shame. Scientific Angler's Sharkskin fly line is a textured line, hence the name. Because less of the line makes contact with the rod guides and the water, it shoots farther, it mends better, it rollcasts better, it floats better, and gosh darn it, people like me.

This isn't just fly shop hype. Cast one yourself and you will see how big a difference there is (I have demos at the shop). The only drawbacks people typically mention about the line is that it will cut into your finger if you're stripping line all day and that it makes a zipping noise through your guides. Well, all lines make noise through the guides and you tune out the zipping pretty quickly. As for your fingers, yes, if you're stripping streamers all day then you might want to pick up some finger guards.

The other "negative" thing people mention about Sharkskin is the price. It retails for $99.95. Well, you get what you pay for. But here at JL Waters we are fairly excited about the line and we want to make it easier for you to pick one up and have that much more fun on the water this summer.

So from now until June 20th, if you purchase a TFO rod over $199, a TFO large arbor reel, and a Sharkskin line together, we'll take 20% off the whole thing. That's a good deal.

As for the TFO rods and reels, well, we should leave that for another post, but believe you me, the TFO Axiom overlined with a Sharkskin magnum taper is the true Cadillac of smallmouth bass fishing.

Witness Tim. Before he picked up his Sharkskin/Axiom combo he hadn't caught a fish in 17 years. He even bought one of those fancy Sage Smallmouth rods but it ain't done him no good. Hark! Look now! This is the power of the Axiom/Sharkskin combination! It will make you look tougher, fish better, stand taller, walk prouder, and probably increase the frequency with which you...feel good about yourself.*

*These claims have not been evaluated by the FDA, the AFTMA, or anybody else. Axiom/Sharkskin use may cause feelings of empowerment over the dominion of fishes and in rare cases, loose stool.

I am sincerely disappointed in your judgment

2009-05-27T09:27:00.005-04:00

Will, aka "Crimminology" aka "the Crimminator," Crimmins took umbrage at my placing Bretagne atop the Most Badass JL Waters Employee leaderboard. He writes:

"While Britagne (sic) was lolly gagging around Virgina, enjoying pitchers of beer and picking up trash, I was exploring the untamed waters of the rarely released Cheoah River at the annual Boater Chick Festival, where I ran class V rapids and even got a nice shiner above my right eye and bruise on my right cheek bone, to then lead a group of 6 boater chicks down the Tellico River in Tennessee the following day on some class IV waters. If this isn't seen as "superbly badazz" I don't know what is. I mean what's this world coming to when they consider a hiker...or might I say a "walker", more badass than a paddler risking his life having fun running deadly rapids and making it looks easy. "

Touche Will. It appears that I will be unable to make from-the-hip assessments of the various staff's badassery. I will thusly institute a formal contest. When new badassery comes to my attention, I will post it here. It is your responsiblility as a staff member of JL Waters to ensure that your badassery comes to my attention. I will not seek said badassery out.

Also, loyal reading public, please submit your badassery as well. Please note whether you'd like to compete against the likes of the Crimminator or amongst other loyal readers. We'll have two contests.

When a sufficient amount of badassery has been posted, I reserve the right to make a completely subjective and biased judgment about who the The Most Badass is.

fishing report for May 21st

2009-05-21T21:45:00.004-04:00

After the 6" of rain last week all the creeks and rivers are still up, but some are certainly fishable. I fished Clear Creek today and on Tuesday. It is a bit high and off color, but clearing rapidly. Water temp was 62 degrees on Tuesday and 66 today. With the warmer weather wet wading is definitely an option. The rains also moved a lot of the wood out and scoured the bottom of plant life...which is nice.

I've found hot colored streamers to be the ticket. I caught fish on hot pink and fluorescent chartreuse flies. Anything big is good. The chartreuse meat wagon has done well and I've been throwing a fuchsia sparkle body woolly bugger with two toned rubber legs and lead eyes. Focus on current breaks, the fish are hungry and eating pretty well. Conditions should be about perfect tomorrow and this weekend if we don't get any more rain. In clearer, lower water I find that natural colors work better, so I'd suggest having a range of colors in your box this time of year.

Also, I missed a couple fish on poppers. I'm pretty sure one was a smallmouth because after I missed him I tied on a streamer, cast back at the same spot, and hooked into a decent 12" fish. as the weather continues to warm, make sure you have some top water options. I find that streamers are always more productive, but top water is certainly more fun.

trail days

2009-05-18T15:53:00.003-04:00

Bretagne sent this report from Trail Days in Damascus Virginia, the big homecoming for Appalachian Trail thru hikers. She is currently atop the Most Bad Ass JL Waters Employee leader board.

back in the day long board style

2009-05-12T14:26:00.002-04:00

There are some folks here at the shop who are a bit, um, obsessed with long boarding. And I like this song by the Knife. So it's really a win win.

Native Watercraft Ultimate 12

2009-05-06T15:04:00.006-04:00

We've received a number of new boats lately, and we're pretty excited about all of them. In addition to the Liquid Logic Remix I mentioned in the last post, the other boat I can't stop obsessing about is the Native Watercraft Ultimate 12.

This boat, and the entire Ulimate line, are a kind of hybrid kayak/canoe. They are open like a canoe, but with low side walls so that they can be paddled with a kayak paddle. They're different from a sit on top kayak because they will keep you completely dry and are not self bailing.

The most remarkable feature of the Ultimate boats, however, is their stability. Their tunnel hull design makes them extremely stable, so stable that you can stand in them to fish, pole the flats, or just stretch out.

Check out these videos for a closer look at this sweet line of boats.

new in camping and paddlesports

2009-04-27T10:08:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since I've updated the blog so there is a lot of ground to cover. We've got great new product coming out of our ears here at JL Waters.

There are several new one-person ultralight tents in the store including Sierra Design's Vapor Light (2lbs 14oz minimum weight). The Vapor Light is a free-standing shelter which should make it slightly heavier than some other one-person ultralights, but it really doesn't. But the freestanding design does greatly improve pitching options and overall volume of the tent.

For instance, I'm taking an 8 day trip to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming this summer and we plan to do a good bit of camping above treeline where there are, obviously, no trees, but also where the ground is rocky and quite impenetrable to tent stakes. A free standing tent is your best choice for this kind of trip. And while the tent is not terribly long, only 82", because of the very steep wall angle even my 6'3" wide-body body fits comfortably inside.

Steripens have arrived. We are stocking the Classic and Adventurer. The biggest difference between these two models is the batteries they use and therefore their weight. The classic weighs 153g with batteries. The Adventurer comes in at a svelte 103g. They are the most effective and simplest way to treat water for protozoa, bacteria, and viruses (filters cannot treat water containing pathogenic viruses without the use of chemicals). Steripens employ a UV light which neutralizes any living thing in your water. They treat a liter of water in 90 seconds. All you have to do is push a button and wait. They leave no residual taste like chemicals.

One drawback to using Steripens is that they do not remove sediment, or really anything at all except the spark of life, from your water. This isn't a big problem somewhere like the Smokies where the water is almost always crystal clear anyway. But if you're drinking water with suspended sediment, you might want to pick up one of the two pre-filter options we have for the Steripen.

With the big boat sale going on we've managed to clear out a pretty good portion of last year's boats. Which means we've got a whole slew of brand new, exciting models to take their place. New Paddlesports Buyer and all around tough guy whitewater paddler Will has brought in several of Legacy Paddlesport's line (he also picked up Liquid Logic's new Biscuit playboat for himself, looking good Will).

The coolest new boat in my opinion is Liquid Logic's Remix XP10. This is a true crossover boat that excels in both whitewater and still water. It has a rounded, well rockered white water hull but with a longer water line and retractable skeg for greatly improved tracking. It also features Liquid Logic's "Bad Ass Outfitting" which is probably the most comfortable seat and offers the most customizable fit of any kayak out there. There is an easily accessible dry storage compartment that's holds 4650 cubic inches of gear. Oh yeah, the other reason I like the boat is that it comes pre-fit with three rod holder mounts. This is perhaps the ultimate river fishing kayak.

All this for just under $1000. Wow. If you see me around the store, please remind me that I don't need another boat. Oh, screw it. This is going to be my next boat. And yeah, I fit comfortably in this boat. It's huge.

fishing report for April 27th

2009-04-27T09:55:00.003-04:00

The weather has been quite warm over the last few days and water temps on Clear Creek on Saturday were pushing 70 degrees. The fish are paired up, the females fat and full of eggs. The spawn is happening and while they have fish nookie on the mind they aren't so interested in your flies. I managed two decent fish, but that's it. Large rabbit strip leeches with lead eyes, like the Wildcat Streamer, are always productive, but right now the fish aren't feeding in the water column very much at all so fish that fly on the bottom and retrieve it slowly.

Water levels at Monroe are starting to fall back towards summer pool and I would think that today would be your best shot at wiper as we're supposed to get quite a lot of rain in the next couple days. Remember that the state park at Fairfax is now charging an entrance fee.

new in camping- ultralight Granite Gear packs

2009-04-15T18:33:00.005-04:00

It's hard to say who the most hard core member of the JL Water's staff is, I mean, Brandon is kind of scary tough, but Bretagne would certainly be a contender. She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. Bretange carried the Granite Gear Vapor Ki on the AT for the last half of her thru-hike and has a lot of good things to say about it.

The men's Vapor Trail and women's Vapor Ki were designed with the long haul backpacker in mind. They both weigh in at a mere 2lbs 5oz. No zippers, no frills, just ultralight load carrying comfort. They feature a high-density polyethylene frame that helps distribute the load evenly over your back and onto your hips through thickly padded shoulder straps and waist belt. The frame is hydration compatible. The ripstop material is tough and highly water resistant. If you're thinking about a long haul trek or just want to cut some weight from your weekend backpacking
trips, the Granite Gear Vapor packs should be on your gear list. If Bretagne's endorsement isn't enough, consider that roughly 40% of AT thru-hikers used a Vapor pack last year.

And oh yeah, check out our sweet new magazine rack.

Cortland lines- the technical side

2009-04-06T10:46:00.006-04:00

I wrote the below in response to a post about the big four fly line makers over at Singlebarbed.com, home of the famous brownliner Keith Barton. He is accusing Cortland of pulling a fast one on the consumer by hiding the fact that their wide variety of lines aren't actually very different from one another and that they use slick ad-copy to try to pass it off on you.

We carry Cortland lines in the store and for the most part, I really like them. So here's what I said:

I like the post, good overview, but as someone who runs a shop that deals mostly in Cortland lines, I'd like to weigh in a bit because you kind of paint them as pulling a fast one on the consumer by using the same 2-3 tapers on all their lines. I think this is, number one, false, and number two, kind of irrelevant as while taper is important, there are lots of other things to consider when buying a line. You mention this, for example, line coating etc., but then kind of downplay it.

So...

Five things about Cortland:

(1) "...the line hasn’t had its taper tuned to match the advertised quarry or conditions, and with so little variance in taper the real difference is what you pay."

You left off the Precision Pike line which has a super aggressive front taper, I think the shortest in the industry, and for throwing really heavy or air resistant flies, it's the size of the front taper that really matters (according to at least some people). All the Species Specific lines have a different taper that is "tuned" to a certain species and the flies you use to catch it. So saying that they are not is false.

(2) "The chart speaks volumes, and suggests you’d be best served looking at price."

The Precision lines are twice as expensive as the 333 lines because they are going to last longer, be slick longer, less cracking etc. That's the most important difference. So saying that "price" is the only difference and you should buy the less expensive one is a little irresponsible.

Though more relevant to your focus on tapers, and possibly just as important as durability, the 333 lines do not have the same taper as the Precision lines. The 333 do not have the rocket taper, rather, they have a standard weight forward head, short back taper and longer belly. The Precision lines have the "rocket taper" which is a long rear taper and short belly. This is clearly shown in the chart you made, and Cortland also has some nice graphics of the line tapers on their site where it is even more obvious. What's interesting about this is that it exactly tracks price, so saying that price is the only difference between the lines is wrong. The taper is different as well, the very thing you're worried about.

(3) "Fly lines are limited in their physical properties by the AFTMA standard."

Grain weights are AFTMA-standard on all Cortland lines except the Western Drifter which is 1/2 a line size heavier, e.g. a 6wt Western Drifter is actually a 6.5wt by AFTMA standards. Rio is rarely exactly AFTMA compliant, though perhaps they are in the allowed variation.

"Taper is responsible for the feel of a line in flight..."

The Western Drifter was hefted up to load faster rods better. This is important and while it's not exactly a difference in taper, it does make a huge difference in how a line feels "in flight."

(4) Importantly, the Precision sink tip lines have different size sinking heads from the 333 and 444 lines, and the Quick Descent lines all have intermediate running lines, their "clear camo" line. This makes the Precision sink tips quite a bit different from the other sink tips that Cortland makes.

(5) I agree that Cortland's catalog and internet copy really leaves something to be desired. For example, you wouldn't realize that the Western Drifters were a 1/2 AFTMA size larger unless you looked at the sample grain weight and compared it to the AFTMA standards. This brings up the whole issue of line weight standards in general, which is totally screwed if you ask me.

For example, grain windows on rods are often for the entire head of a line, while AFTMA standards are for the first 30 feet of the line. So while an AFTMA 8wt is 210gr, you'd want to use that 8wt on a rod calling for, say, a 290gr line. Or if the line has a particularly big head or is bigger than the AFTMA rating, you could get away with a 7wt line on that rod. CONFUSING. This is one good thing about at least Rio: they publish an entire head weight in addition to the AFTMA weight on their website for at least some of their lines.

But the upside is that there really are important differences between Cortland lines that they could be discussing in their catalog copy. But they aren't, they are trying to sell you with stupid, slick, ad-type stuff, which, I agree, is bullcrap. (also, while the Sylk and Clear Creek have important, functional differences, don't get me started about the fake spots they put on the Sylk to make it look like an old silk line).

Another good reason why local shops with knowledgeable staff are better than big box shops or online shops is what I say.

fishing report for March 29th 2009

2009-03-29T00:05:00.005-04:00

Lake Monroe is hovering right around summer pool level. With the water warming up, this is good news for fly fishers. The hybrid bass (wipers) are roaming the shallows looking for shad and are within casting distance from shore (or at least waist deep). These fish can get very large with 5lb fish being not uncommon and 10lb fish a real possibility. And it should be said that a 2lb wiper fights like a much bigger fish. These things are tough.

I'd say a 7wt rod is about as light as I'd go and an 8 or 9wt is recommended. These heftier rods also make casting into a strong wind a lot easier. Intermediate lines are best for shooting into the wind and for getting your fly just below the chop. The fish are not feeding on the surface, but they'll come up to the top foot of water to grab a fly. Floating lines will work, but make sure to use a weighted fly. Clouser minnows in a wide variety of colors will produce fish, as will pretty much any other bait fish imitation. The key is to find the fish. Wiper tend to move a lot so just keep casting and you'll eventually hook up. 11.5lb tippet, or even heavier, is best.

Good wading flats can be found off the dam and at Fairfax beach. Keep an eye on the lake levels (link to Monroe levels can be found to the right in the link list). Once they climb above 540 wading become more challenging.

Get out there and keep stripping that fly. Then hold on tight.

Oh yeah, the bonus largemouth and walleye are also a lot of fun.

NORTH FACE SALE (Marmot and Patagonia and canoes and kayaks too!)

2009-03-23T23:43:00.005-04:00

All North Face is on sale at the store right now. While there are a lot of excellent deals to be had, the Mountain Light jacket jumps out at me. This is a serious jacket. Two ply Gore Tex makes it waterproof, windproof, and breathable. Pit-zips and an oversized hood with lower face coverage make it an excellent choice for hiking, backpacking, skiing, mountaineering, fishing, whatever you can throw at it. This is a great shell. It normally sells for $300. You can get one now for $159.95.

I might also mention that if you're in the market for a canoe or kayak, nearly half of our inventory is marked down several hundred dollars.

Here are all the deals. Stop in, try something on.

Men's
TNF Mountain Light Jacket was: 298.95 now: 159.95
TNF Denali Vest was: 124.95 now: 69.95
TNF Varius Guide Jacket was: 198.95 now: 109.95
TNF Denali Jacket was: 164.95 now: 89.95
Patagonia R4 Jacket was: 214.95 now: 89.95

Women's
TNF Warrior TriClimate Jacket was: 228.95 now:159.95
TNF Mountain Light Jacket was: 298.95 now: 159.95
TNF Thermal Denali was: 179.95 now: 99.95
TNF Inlux Insulated Jacket was: 178.95 now: 139.95
TNF Varius Guide Jacket was: 198.95 now: 109.95
TNF Down Nuptse was: 198.95 now: 119.95
TNF Down Aconcagus was: 138.95 now: 99.95
Patagonia R4 Jacket was: 224.95 now: 179.95
Marmot Tamarack Jacket was: 199.95 now: 119.95
Marmot Rubicon Jacket was: 299.95 now:169.95

new in camping and fly fishing

2009-03-23T22:54:00.031-04:00

The Black Diamond 1 watt ($28.95) and 3 watt ($49.95) LED lanterns are perfect for in the tent or on the picnic table in camp. They won't seal you in a molten tomb of tent fabric and they're light weight. They have infinitely adjustable brightness too. Which is cool.

The Kleen Kanteen Wine Carafe ($22.95) holds a shade more than 750ml of your favorite juice of the grape. It does it in stainless steel to boot so it's lighter and tougher than glass. Got a chilled bottle of white you want to take on an afternoon paddle or a stroll through the woods? Grab the insulated cozy.

Sea to Summit makes a lot of cool stuff. The ultrapackability and light weight of the 10l bucket and 5l sink are what jumped out at me first. The bucket weighs 2.8oz and the sink weighs 3oz. Sick of freezing your butt off, crouched down uncomfortably on the creekbank on filter duty, pumping everyone's bottle and bag for the night? Just fill the bucket, bring it back to camp, and sit around the fire sipping on your carafe of wine pumping at your leisure.

And being that I'm the fly fishing guy, there are three pictures of some new toys. Cliff Boxes are made in Wyoming by fisherman, for fisherman. They have been my go to box for several years now so I'm happy to bring them in the store. The Super Days Worth ($23.95) might be the ultimate trout box. It will hold dry flies and nymphs on the foam ridges, midges and other super small stuff in the magnetic compartments, and you can hang your meat (aka. streamers) on the slit-foam.

The Bugger Barn ($21.95) is certainly the ultimate streamer box. It's huge, number one, which is important for any streamer box, but it's also rugged as hell.
It employs the slit-foam as well so you never have to actually puncture the foam with a hook. It lasts forever.

But if you want really freakin' huge, the Bugger Beast ($44.95) is your best option. Good for storing lots of large flies, it also makes a perfect boat box.

Also new in fly fishing- a bunch of new flies including Indiana smallmouth specific patterns (meat) and a bunch of new tailwater trout patterns, i.e. more midges than you care to tie on 7x tippet.

-a slew of new tying materials including many different rabbit strips for tying meat.

-We're expecting some intermediate lines to arrive any day now which is just about perfect timing for Monroe wipers (hybrid bass) which are really hot right now. Intermediate lines help you cast farther and they're necessary to get your line below the chop.

-We're also expecting some new TFO rods this week including the 6' 2wt, the 7wt Deer Creek Switch rod, and the MINI MAG bass/pike/anything super serious 10wt.

brownlining?

2009-03-19T11:22:00.005-04:00

I don't like to think of fly fishing our local smallie creeks as "brownlining," but I do like the idea of fly fishing locally even if our local waters are not pristine, alpine lakes full of cutthroat trout.

The Wall Street Journal has an article about fly fishing for carp and catfish in Denver that features some of my interweb buddies Michael Gracie, Fat Guy Kyle, and Keith Barton. I was quite happy to see it.

Watch the video. Read the article. Then get out on our local brown....errr....green lines and catch some fish.

fishing report for March 17th 2009

2009-03-17T10:11:00.039-04:00

Local smallmouth streams are fishing well (fished 3/14) though they are rather low for this time of year. Clear Creek has given up a few fish for me lately, but nothing like it will in a month or so when the smallies are in aggressive pre-spawn mode. This picture is of Justin using the new Cortland pike taper line. Yes it is blood red. Yes it turns over a #4 Clouser like a #22 Trico.

Fish have been taken on #8 gray and white Clousers, crawdad-orange lead eyed bunny leeches in size #4, and Clouser sculpin in size #10 (tied small in black with purple flash). Try working anything on the bottom with a slow, erratic retrieve, like a crayfish, sculpin, darter or any other benthic organism moves. If that doesn't work throw streamers like a Clouser or Deceiver and retreive faster keeping it in the water coloumn. I always start big (#2 and #4) and go smaller (#8 and #10) if I don't get any takers.

With stable water levels and
temperatures climbing into the 40s, the Brookville tailwater is turning on. These graphs are what you look forward to all winter. I fished the river yesterday and was happy to see heavy midge hatches and some sporadic caddis coming off. The fish weren't feeding regularly on the surface, but there were rises here and there. Look for risers in the afternoon along the far bank in the park. All my fish came on a #22 black zebra midge (gold bead, gold ribbing, peacock herl thorax) dropped under a #16 tan Elk Hair Caddis. I had two takes on the caddis as well. The water was a bit off color despite being so low which might explain why the fish weren't on top too much.

Throwing big (I mean 6"+) articulated streamers in the park pool will draw some flashes from large (I mean 20"+) brown trout. If you're lucky you'll hook up. Retreive the large streamer as fast and erratically as you can. Throwing these flies on an 8wt is a lot of work, but on a smaller rod it's nearly impossible and can actually be quite dangerous.

We're getting in a large shipment of flies this week that are tailored specifically for Midwest smallmouth fishing (from Chad Miller in Zionsville, Indiana and Jerry Darkes in Strongsville, Ohio) and tailwater trout (i.e. Brookville). A fly shop's fly selection should really cater to local fisheries first so we're actually going to do that.

I'm blowing my own mind here people. Stop in and take a look. Also, check out the updated links section where I've added links to local river levels.

One final, less than positive note. My streamer rod was stolen yesterday at Brookville. I was fishing with my 3wt to some rising fish about 100ft from where my 8wt laid on the riverbank. I didn't think anybody would be brazen enough to take it with me right there, but when I got out of the river it was gone. I guess the take home message is: Brookville is a nice small town, but don't be an idiot, protect your stuff.

will I (he) am (is)

2009-03-14T11:10:00.005-04:00

Will, JL Water's resident whitewater guru, runs a local (yes, local) drop. (photo credit: Dr. Matt Hill)

new in camping- Squishy Bowls, Katadyn Base Camp, Snow Peak Titanium Cafe Press

2009-03-09T18:06:00.045-04:00

It is about that time of year. The sun is out. The temperature is up. You probably need to get outside. We've got new stuff coming into the store everyday this time of year. Three of the coolest things we've seen so far are Guyot Designs' Squishy Bowls, Katadyn's Base Camp, and Snow Peak's Titanium Cafe Press.

Squishy bowls are a great option when space is tight, say when you're backpacking or on an extended kayak trip. If you're cooking for a group, ten of the 16oz bowls could be squished into the pot with stove and utensils. Each package comes with the 16oz bowl and a 6oz cup. They weigh 5oz total and cost $16.95. Another benefit that Will quickly noted is that they turn inside out. So you can lick them clean.

Katadyn's Base Camp is pretty much just a no-pump version of their Hiker filter. By filling the included 10l bag with untreated water and hanging it from a tree, gravity does the work for you. It will filter about 5l/hour. Great for float trips and group trips. The Base Camp retails for $69.95. Both the Base Camp and Squishy bowl won best-of awards in Backpacker Magazine.

The third product that has
caught our attention is
Snow Peak's Titanium Cafe Press. This ultralight, ultra-
tough French press might look like it's for glamping only,
but at only 6.3oz no backpacking coffee addict should be without one. Retails for $52.95 (it is titanium after all).

Banff Film Festival- April 5th

2009-03-09T17:16:00.014-04:00

Indiana University Outdoor Adventures is bringing the Banff Mountain Film Festival to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington on April 5th at 7:00pm. Tickets are available at the Bus-Chum box office (also online at the link above) and through IUOA (general admission $12, students $8, kids under 6 FREE). This should be a great set of mountain movies. Naturally, JL Waters is sponsoring the event.

Check out the trailer:

just poppin' out for some coffee

2009-03-05T20:34:00.000-05:00

Matt Hill in his new capri pants, just poppin' out for some coffee this morning. Looking good dude, looking good.

fly fishing department rearranged, new Cortland lines arrived

2009-03-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

I've felt lately that the fly fishing department was getting a bit stale. So I rearranged it yesterday. It's much more open now and we have room for a bigger fly tying table if we need it.

We also got a big Cortland fly line shipment in yesterday. We are stocking a good cross section of their lines from the basic 333 floating lines ($36.95) to some sweet new extreme pike taper lines in both the 333 series ($36.95) and the Precision series ($62).

The biggest difference between the two pike lines is the kind of taper. The 333 has an easier to control long belly whereas the Precision has a more performance-tuned short body and long back taper. They both have the shortest front taper in the industry however, which makes them great choices for throwing any kind of heavy or wind-resistant flies. They're called pike lines, but they are an excellent choice for bass bugging, chucking huge articulated monstrosities at the bank for big brown trout, and throwing heavy Clousers all day on a local creek for smalllies. The other two important differences between the 333 and Precision series is the coating and the durability of the two lines. The Precision line is slicker and will last longer than the 333 if properly cared for.

I'll also be putting a fly tying shipment on the wall tomorrow that includes some egg tying materials including egg yarn and egg hooks (that I'm sure you'll need soon for the big spring run fish up north), some mottled thin skin, some more crosscut rabbit strips, and a bunch of other stuff.

The Spring Orvis order has also arrived. We have the whole range of Mid Arbor reels and spools in titanium and black. These are awesome reels and a great value. I own two of them. Felt sole wet wading shoes and sandals were back ordered but that's ok because we'll be wearing waders until May anyway!

So stop in to feel the openess and check out the new fly lines, tying materials, and new reels. Pike line, bass bugs, and sweet new reel? Yes, yes, and yes.