Chifly.com Blog - Chicago Fly Fishing Outfitters

Monday, May 13, 2013

New Simms Factory Tour & a bit of fishing..

Anybody that has ever been to our shop knows that Simms products are a huge part of our lineup and that we regard our relationship with that company as among our most valued. I just got from Bozeman after touring their new state of the art manufacturing facility/ headquarters - and thought that I would share some thoughts on the long relationship that we have undertaken with one of the industries key players.

12 years ago, we first stocked the Simms Guide Jacket, their Guide Waders and a handful of Simms fleece and tops. That was the extent of "soft goods" available at our ChiFly! KC Walsh (Owner of Simms) and Diane Bristol (marketing director back then) were actually visiting our first 800 square foot store when we sold our very first, gasp, $295 dollar wading jacket....

Humble beginnings - the first shop

As they have grown their product line-up exponentially, their footprint at our shop as well as in the industry has evolved into a presence that is incredibly large and symbolic of the current state of this thing that we all love - fly fishing.

This is 1/3 of the current footprint devoted to soft goods!

Their flagship manufacturing facility is also their headquarters, their repair department, their marketing arm, their strategic planning headquarters, shipping department, warehouse and everything else packaged together under one roof. They are the sole remaining US manufacturer of waders, and everything at this headquarters literally revolves around (both physically and metaphorically) around their "Made in the USA Waders" story.

Upon walking into the vaulted entrance/lobby, one instantly understands that they have entered "Simms". The imagery is rich, the subtle color accents are Simms Orange, and right behind the super clean lines of the reception area is showcased their factory floor. Visitors can see what Made in the USA actually looks like, and watch the super technically skilled craftsmen and women use the highest quality, most technically advanced Gore-Tex materials and equipment and produce arguably the finest waders in the market. I can't remember ever walking into another US manufacturer and seeing actual manufacturing taking place behind the reception area... Kind of a neat departure.

Everyone that enter the new Simms HQ can see what "Made in the USA" looks like in progress

They obviously have a great deal planned for our future enjoyment, and 2014 promises a giant new product cycle. They have a disproportionately talented team in place, from the manufacturing to the R&D and sales and marketing team and it will be fun to watch their company evolve. I understand the subtle draw of "fly fishing" - this tiny industry attracts a lot of super talented people (way disproportionate to the tiny overall dollars involved) "Simms" is the living evolving embodiment of this phenomenon - a lot of smart people wanting to be a part of the bigger "fly fishing" dream.... Stay tuned for more on what is coming from Simms!

It would be crazy to go out there and not wet a line! I fished for two days and was reminded of just how special Montana is. Day one was spent fishing with Chris Frangiosa (from TCO Fly Shop in Pennsylvania) on the Jefferson River. We were guided by Greg Bricker of Freestone Fly Fishing Outfitters - a superb guide and extremely fun guy to spend the day with. Greg showed us around his backyard on a super long float. Although streamer fishing produced all day long, we broke things up for a couple of hours during a March Brown and Caddis hatch that produced pods of gulpers. Ironically the largest brown I touched all day was on a dry! (Guess what? The Purple Parawulf works just fine when brown drakes and caddis are hatching - just like on the creeks in Wisconsin!)

Greg Bricker hold one of Chris Frangiosa's many browns - thx for the pictures Chris!

Day two, John Nehring and Nick Krueger, two great guys that work at Simms HQ, drew the short straw and volunteered to show me around the Yellowstone. They took their day off, and rowed me down one of the prettier floats on the Yellowstone. It was a great opportunity to learn about their roles at Simms and hear what it's like from two guys on the front lines. John works on sourcing and planning on the manufacturing side of the biz, and Nick heads up the repair department there. Great guys to know! I felt lucky to have an opportunity to get to know these guys better and was touched by their generosity - a HUGE "Thanks" to them!

John Nehring breaking the ice!

Our ChiFly Sticker finds another home!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

It may be cold and wet - but the fishing is great in Wisconsin!

This "spring" could not be more different than last year's! The 70's and 80's of last March and April have yet to materialize, and truth be told, the snow stuck around until a week or two ago. It has been wet and cold to say the least, but for those of us that have ventured out to fish the spring creeks of the "Driftless"it has been well worth the effort as the surroundings slowly come to life this spring.

Since mid April or so, BWO's and a few black caddis have been hatching, and I can suggest that the hatches are getting stronger and lasting longer as the temps poke up into the mid to high 40's. I witnesses a BWO hatch this past Monday the 22nd that lasted 3 hours, and produced rising fish in great numbers.

All of us from the shop that have been up there in the last two weeks can tell you that streamer fishing has been INCREDIBLE! When the water is a bit off color - black and/or olive streamers really produce!

A great TIP to help you catch more fish

Jon has been been a proponent of carrying two rigged rods at all times up there, and I could not agree more. You really should consider trying this the next time you are up there. The theory is simple - having two different rigs ready at all times allows you to change up presentations almost instantly and ultimately allows you to catch a lot more fish.

How many times have you rigged up your one rod to go nymphing for example, and then noticed fish rising three minutes later? You have just invested 10 minutes rigging up right? I mean putting on a strike indicator, followed by a size 16 Pink Squirrel tied on to the end of your 5X leader trailed by 16" of 6X Fluoro and finished off with a size 20 Pheasant Tail Nymph is quite a set up - and now the fish are rising? I would venture a guess that like me, most would lob what they have already set up, and see what happens. Having a second rod already rigged with a dry fly makes it a no brainer!

I was on a creek Monday and having fairly good luck with streamers. The water was high and off color, and I was fishing new water. Streamer fishing is a great way to cover new territory quickly and I was quickly figuring out what was going on. A few times I wished that I had only one rod rigged because it was a pain to backtrack every 100' or so and pick up my second rigged rod which I kept leaving on the bank. I had just landed two really nice fish from an obvious pool and was about to move to the next one I spotted 75' further down when I realized that I had a nymph set up lying a few feet behind me. In the next 20 minutes, I landed over a dozen more browns from the pool that I had just nearly abandoned. I know for a fact that it would have been a 2 fish pool- because who wants to re-rig when streamers are working and another spot is only yards away....the second rod allowed me to make the simple switch.

Remember - the Early Catch and Release season for inland trout in Wisconsin ends at
sundown this Sunday, April 28th and then re-opens at 5am on Saturday May 4th.

Complete Fishing Regulations for Wisconsin are found here: Wisconsin Fishing Regulations

We hope that you get out there soon and that you remember to share your stories and pictures with your friends at ChiFly!

Let the fun begin.....

Andy

Bigger brighter nymphs in off color water

The first signs of spring

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Closing Week in SW Wisconsin

September is always a great time to be on the trout streams of SW Wisconsin. The leaves are turning colors, the hopper bite is fairly consistent, the stinging nettles and insects are waning and the brook and brown trout are getting ready to spawn and getting all colored up and aggressive! What else can one desire in life?

Click on any of the pictures for larger views

Unlike the spring and early summer, cracking the hatch code in September tends to be fairly easy. Put on a smaller hopper, an ant or a beetle and chances are that you will find an eater. Jon who was there earlier in the week did see a few defined hatches of really small BWO's in the size 20-24 range, but it was much more straight forward when I was there...

If you feel like "thinking outside of the box" try any attractor pattern that you have had kicking around in that fly box of yours for the past few years. Chances are that it just might work. The purple parawulff seems to do the trick every time for me and this year that was THE fly again.

Good things come in small packages

The week prior to closing this year featured warm days in the low 70s and cool nights in the 40s. Perfection!
The water was low and super clear. Once again I was reminded that a stealthy approach to the streams was necessary and that longer casts produced the most fish. Sloppy approaches meant seeing fish fleeing from 50' away...

Clear water means 5 or 6 X and long casts...

The wind was down and the Sage TXL-F 3710-4 (7' 10" 3 WT) was again the absolute perfect rod! I absolutely LOVE this rod!!! You can comfortably pop a small hopper 30-50' if you need to, or can gently drop a beetle 15' upstream to a sipping trout without spooking it. I fished some of my old favorites, and they all felt "clubby" next to this slim, light weight TXL-F. I also have to say that I really like the Umpqua Trout 9' 5X leaders in these conditions - they are pretty darn supple yet turn over flies pretty well and the material seems to disappear under water. If you are newer to this game - the 7 1/2' Umpqua Trout Leaders are a bit easier to use and turn over a bit better.

As usual - I am compelled to say that no matter where I have been around this big beautiful world - I am utterly blown away each and every time I return to the creeks in Wisconsin. They are alive, intimate and really are among my favorite places to recharge, unwind and fish! They open back up the first Saturday of March 2013, and you owe it to yourself to check them out. I leave you with a few more pictures of the last week of another magical season......

Tight Lines- Andy


If you keep your eyes open - you can see cool stuff! Does anyone have a clue what animal	this was?

Saturday, September 29, 2012

September on the Kankakee

Will Winans shares the following thoughts about one of his favorite local fisheries, the beautiful Kankakee River: Will fishes and Amber takes some great shots! As always- click on individual pictures for larger images.

Last week, my good friend Amber drove through Chicago for a visit, en route to New Hampshire. Amber, being from Western Montana and having guided white water for several years in the Flathead and West Glacier, has introduced me to countless Western rivers. I saw her visit as a good opportunity to show off some of the water that I fish here in the Mid-West.

We spent a day floating the Kankakee River, my go to fishery for day trips and summer smallmouth for as long as I can remember.

September is one of my favorite months to fish the Kankakee and this year has been no exception. The smallmouth bite has been fierce. Fish are aggressively feeding before water temps drop and things slow down for the Winter. The Kankakee, along with most local rivers this year, is low but exceptionally clear.

River grass and weed beds cover large stretches of the water but provide great cover for fish and filter much of the silt that clouds the water.

As usual, baitfish and small crayfish patterns have been the ticket for pulling fish out of runs and away from weed beds. Dry flies and soft hackled nymphs, with a little persistence, produced a few fish for us in the early morning.

I definitely accomplished my goal of showing an old friend that there’s more to Northern Illinois than endless suburbs and smog. Here in Chicago, we might not have the Blackfoot River or the Bob Marshall Wilderness in our backyards but if you get a chance to spend a day on one of our local smallmouth rivers, just imagine a few mountains on the horizon and you won’t know the difference!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A week at Alaska West!

Alaska West Aug 24 - 31 2012

A few clients and I just spent the final week of August at Alaska West, on the beautiful Kanektok River, located in way south west Alaska. As it turns out, we were there for the final week of their season, in search of Silvers, Dollies and of coarse rainbow Trout.

Upon arrival, we had part of the afternoon before dinner to walk and wade on our own around camp. Within a few hours I had hooked more salmon than should be legal, and again was reminded why Alaska still ranks as one of the best fisheries in the world. The trip hadn't officially started, and yes, my arms were sore! You just don't realize how "alive" and "thriving" of a fishery Alaska has until you you experience it first hand!

The weather in Alaska this year has been very different than much of the lower 48's, colder than "normal" and wetter than "normal". This week proved no different- it was cold and wet the majority of the time and the 2 sunny days felt special. Apparently the fish could care less about the weather- and were more than eager. The right gear is a must for any Alaskan adventure. The Simms Guide Jacket and the Simms G3 Guide Jacket literally saved my hide yet again! One last product pitch - The Simms Fall Run Jacket is one of the BEST LAYERING PIECES EVER MADE and insulates while wet. I lived in mine 24/7 on this trip

The Kanektok drains into the Bearing Sea , and has a world class reputation for incredible runs of all of the major salmon species. The Silvers, or Coho as they are known around here, are the last major migration of the season and were present in mind boggling numbers. Most were dime bright, still carrying sea lice and full of energy. If you have ever seen the Deneki website (parent company of AK West, BC West and Andros South) and read their own description of the fishery, I can tell you that the tag line "You will catch fish till your arms are sore" is 100% accurate! Especially if you are there during the silver run!! A 7 or 8 wt fly rod is perfect for this species, and I can not say enough about the 9' 7 wt Sage One- it was my go to choice and infinitely useful for steelhead fishing around Chicagoland as well !

Jim G hoisting a freshie!

Father and Son striking a pose

Dime bright hen with sea lice attached!

Those who have fished at Alaska West also know that the resident population of leopard rainbows makes this a special fishery as well. Unlike the Bristol Bay drainage which lies east of here, the rainbows are more often than not "river resident" fish and wear a coat of color that is unlike anything that I have ever seen! They are not found in numbers comparable to the rivers of the Iliamna drainage, but they make up for it in their vigor and beauty and then some! As I have mentioned before, my absolute favorite "western" or bigger river trout rods are the Sage 691-4 TCX and the Sage One 691-4. These rods just make the difficult casts seem easier and the impossible casts seem possible!

Guide Jakob Lunde holding one of our sight caught bows

Jim Prybylo and guide Trevor with another beauty!

A "gagger" fish makes the guide and clients happy!

No bears- but lots of foxes!

In spite of the long, cold and wet season - things ran very smoothly at Camp Alaska West. All of the walled tents had functioning heaters and were dry as a bone. Beds were made and things were much tidier at the end of each day's fishing. The showers had hot water and the port o potties were cleaned daily. The staff was still enthusiastic and genuinely concerned about everyone's happiness. The guides were still excited and worked long hours with a smile and enthusiasm which were genuine. The food was hearty, plentiful, fresh and delicious. Everything worked! That is something that is impossible to fake - and a huge shout out to the entire staff is in order! Having been to Deneki's Andros South Lodge, I can tell you that their staffing sets them apart from other lodges and organizations!

We principally fished the Kanektok, and one smaller river that they have exclusive access to called the Arolik - what a gem! In spite of the lack of daily fly outs like other lodges that I have fished at in Alaska, I still pretty much felt each day, and each "section" of the river, made for a great variety of conditions, scenery, and fisheries.

Jim Grusecki poses with a great bow held by "Wiggler"

We floated the main river up high and down low in search of "gagger sized rainbow". We walked for miles on back channels and small branches, sight fishing for rainbow. There were place to nymph flesh flies, throw sculpins, and even venues for mousing and wogging. We were always within minutes of another Silver Salmon spot. It never got stale- on the contrary - the guides knew how to keep it fresh.

As close as we got to seeing bears

An important distinction of this fishery is that we saw hardly ANY bears. There are fresh tracks and fresh signs, but the fact of the matter is that the bears are super weary of people in this part of Alaska (my guess is that the local hunting pressure keeps the bears at a safe distance) We saw a total of one "group" all week - and that was way upstream on the Arolik. If you want to fish side by side with bears all week, there are plenty of spots in the Bristol Bay Drainage that I can share with you. IF you have not fished Alaska due to being afraid of bears - or if you have a phobia of bears- have I got a place for you!!

Pete Viau, a new fishing buddy hoisting a toad!

Yet another really cool feature of Alaska West is their "Father/Son or Daughter" special that they feature. They allow parents to bring a kid (no matter the age) at half price and make a week of bonding more economical. There were 3 father/son teams at camp that week and I loved seeing all three of them having an unforgettable experience together!

Father/Son team New York

Father/Son Reinertsen

Another aspect of all Deneki Lodges that I really like is the clientele that they attract. Alaska West is no exception. My experience was enhanced by the fellow anglers looking for the real deal- and the other 15 guest that week were a pleasure to get to know and share a vacation with! I never once heard about a stock position or had to endure a laundry list of "the most incredible experiences of my life" the entire week. Good folks and hope our paths cross again soon!


Guide Ben Paull holding another impressive bow

Male Dollies color up in the fall - and are a hoot!

Flesh eater on upper river

No matter your skill level, or lack there of, this fishery has a lot to offer you and as importantly, a guide staff that is prepared to make it happen. I can not imagine a better fishery to take a rookie to. Silver Salmon make for a lot of action and drama. If they were not so plentiful, one would take pictures of every perfect one! If you are looking for a challenge, trust me, there are solitary rainbows in gin clear water, tucked in between snags and salmon, that will frustrate you. There are rainbows there that will have you practicing your knots, because they are not supposed to snap 12 lb Maxima- but they do!!

Would I go back? In a heart beat and actually we have dates reserved for our next hosted trip to Alaska West Aug 23-30, 2013. We have 7 spots left and would love to have you along for the adventure. In addition to hosting a trip there, we also act as a booking agent for all of the Deneki lodges including Alaska West - See more details here.