Goodbye to 2006

Well, I finally managed to get my Crohn’s disease under control in the spring after three unpleasant years and was able to fish more than the last three years combined. Once a week average for the year.

These lead me to extensive fishing at a local lake choked full of flooded brush and hosting a good population of 1 - 2 lb bluegill. Float tubing in the flooded brush lead me to determine that a 9ft rod was not optimal and something shorter, but with some muscle was need. This sent me on a search for a short 6wt rod since the 3wt did not have enough muscle to handle the large bluegill, and the bass too, in the heavy cover. I found a nice St. Croix Premier 7’6" 6wt which turned out to be beautiful small panfish rod. I picked up several other rods costing much more than this St. Croix, but it is by far my favorite.

Hi pspaint,

Well, in Auckland it’s often hard to tell the difference between summer and winter. Winter, the daytime temp is around 10 C (that’s what, about 52 F?) and in summer we get up to about 25 (80 ish?).

Many lakes, rivers, and streams are open year round, though the spawning rivers are closed part of the year.

I’ll set the spare room up shall I? ha!

  • Jeff

My best acquisition was the handiest little item for my lanyard. It’s called a Ty-Rite by it’s manufacturer. It’s a little gizmo to hold a fly by it’s hook while tying it onto a tippet. The holding mechanism is similar to that of a red and white bobber spring/hook mechanism. Great little tool.

Mark

WOW!

#1 FAR & AWAY are all the wonderful friends I have made through FAOL & was blessed to have met face to face at the Michigan Fish-In, headed up by Ray Darling & his buddy Bob…Ray, we still aren’t sure of your age, but to still be skiing & otherwise be as active as you are, you’re my IDOL! Folks, I guarantee that meeting those 2 will enrich your lives!
#2 HAS to be the casting help I got! First from my great buddy WarrenP in Tennessee, & then from JC at the Michigan Fish-In. I have a long way to go, but those guys gave me the map!
#3 is the Diamondback Camo 8 1/2’ 5 wt “rocket launcher” I got from WarrenP.

There IS no junk in flyfishing!
Mike

I will let you know after my birthday and Christmas. Like the man said, “It ain’t over till it’s over”. :wink:

My gear for the year:
Fishpond Wasatch chest pack. I can carry 3 liters of water in this thing and not even feel it.
Outcast Discovery 9 pontoon boat.
Sage 490-4XP

Now, my list for '07 includes, but not limited to:
Sage 691-4 XP
Eagle/or some brand of depth/temp finder
Maybe some Simms guide wts.

Best stuff for 06. For me, that would be the W.R. Taylor quad bamboo rod in 6 wgt I got. VEE says her best is the 4 wgt Channer Boo rod that she got for her birthday.

Best time was the Idaho Fish-In. Lots of old friends and some new ones, great weather and great fishing. What’s not to love.

I know I got something that wasn’t all that great, but the really great stuff overshadows it.

REE

On the upside is a George Maurer 7’6" 2/2 3wt 'boo with a swelled butt that’s just a wonderful stick for my spring creeks.

Flipside, altho not “goods” is a busted rt. thumb that’s going to plague me a long time! May need surgery/fused! :oops:

Jeremy.

My best are a 12’ jon boat & trailer, and my TFO 9’ 4 weight Professional.
My worst is a rod holder that won’t fit the boat or the rod.

Jeff, i’ll take winter’s like that anytime. Average of 52, that’s awesome. Winter’s around here average in the 20’s…brrrrrr. I’ll be there right after the holiday’s! lol.

8)one of the most fun things I bought this year was a Sage Launch outfit for a friend in Michigan . This year we coordinated our schedules and our families got to camp together for a week. We were talking by phone after the trip and while we covered a lot of territory he mentioned he was going to get more serious about learning to fly fish especially for trout. After I thought about it for awhile I thought what do I know more about than fly fishing. So I picked out an outfit an mailed it to him un-announced. It was a hoot.

The Best thing this year was the oppertunity of meeting all of the “New” Friends at the Michigan Fish-In this year. The 2nd best is starting the planning for 2007’s Michigan Fish-In.
Bill

You guys sound like a bunch of SOCIAL CLIMBERS :smiley: :smiley: Just kidding, I met some great people this year from as far west as Hawaii to as far east as Denver, not to mention a bunch in Canada and Arizona. Guiding I met some fantastic people from Penn and Indianapolis (s/p)
Just goes to show, fly fishers are the BEST PEOPLE anywhere, like Karata you learn to wait for it and to be humble LOL.
I did get some new FANTASTIC sticks this year and I will be using every one of them, plus some new techs that I will add to the ol brain computer for future use.