Articles

Drift Boat Etiquette: Rules of the Road

Knowing how to Do The Right Thing when on the oars

by Captain Joe Demalderis - Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Floating British Columbia's Elk River (photo: Chad Shmukler).

In its simplest form, etiquette is nothing more than doing the right thing at the right time given a particular situation. Some of these rules have been written down, but most have not. So without a formal written code how do we know the correct conduct for a particular situation? Generally, determining the right thing to do — following the rules of etiquette — can usually be accomplished by leveraging common sense and always taking into consideration how you'd like to be treated if your role in the situation at hand was reversed.

Review: Airflo SuperDRI Elite Fly Line

by Chad Shmukler - Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

Airflo has long been the go-to fly line maker for countless spey and switch casters and there are many saltwater anglers that trust Airflo lines first and foremost. But despite their success in those arenas, Airflo hasn't had a strong reputation in the world of traditional, single-handed trout fishermen. With its latest generation of fly lines, which it has coined SuperDRI, Airflo is seeking to put that reputation squarely behind them, openly acknowledging the issues of old and making bold claims about their latest technologies.

Most of Airflo's issues with earlier generations of trout lines came down to those lines not floating high enough or long enough. Airflo's ridge technology has always performed well, helping to produce long-shooting casts; and Airflo's dedication to using polyurethane to construct their lines instead of PVC has always introduced its bevy of benefits (less cleaning/maintenance required, resistance to Deet, gasoline, sunblock and other chemicals that eat other fly lines, etc). But, despite those accolades, floating trout lines need to float and those that don't float well are going to let people down.

Even though I liked Airflo's last go-round in the trout world -- which included the Ridge Supple Tactical Trout line -- better than most, there were some occasions when I was frustrated by the head sinking during long drifts. So, when I heard from Airflo that they had a new line in the works that not only aimed to solve the floating issue but also featured technology that Airflo was unabashedly touting as "game changing", I was pretty stoked to get one on the water.

A Bounty of Fly Fishing's Rich History, Viewable Online

by Ben Kryzinski - Monday, May 19th, 2014

The American Fly Fisher is a long-standing publication produced by the American Museum of Fly Fishing. In print since 1974, issues of the American Fly Fisher span 40 volumes, all of which are now available for free viewing and downloading online via the museum's web site.

Each issue of he award-winning journal mixes features on contemporary topics, writing by fly fishing historians and scholars and reprints of fly fishing writings from across the centuries. The result is a captivating look at not only how much of our sport has changed as the years have gone by, but how much has stayed the same.

Let the Stream Do the Talking

by Mike Sepelak - Friday, May 16th, 2014

There was one older man, an excellent fisher and skilled in all kinds of woodcraft, who was pleased to look upon my house as a building erected for the convenience of fishermen; and I was equally pleased when he sat in my doorway to arrange his lines. Once in a while we sat together on the pond, he at one end of the boat, and I at the other; but not many words passed between us, for he had grown deaf in his later years, but he occasionally hummed a psalm, which harmonized well enough with my philosophy. Our intercourse was thus altogether one of unbroken harmony, far more pleasing to remember than if it had been carried on by speech.

-- Henry David Thoreau – Walden, Or Life in the Woods

Writers and fisherman venture out to the stream, not to listen to one another talk, but to hear nature speak. There's too much yammering going on in the world these days and it would be a great shame to let our all-too-few quiet outdoor moments fall prey to the din. We go out there for the serenity. At least I do.

But I have to acknowledge that we humans are social creatures and conversation inevitably creeps into the picture - particularly on the road or trail to the stream. Talk happens, so, in the event that you and I should share a waterway (and I genuinely hope that some day we do), here are some suggested conversation guidelines:

Little Mountain, Big Threats

by Chad Shmukler - Thursday, May 15th, 2014

When one thinks about Wyoming fishing, it likely isn't Little Mountain that comes to mind. With famous fishing destinations like the Miracle Mile of the North Platte, the Snake River sitting in the shadow of the Tetons or the storied waters of Yellowstone, it is easy to understand why. The region's tiny creeks, most of which you can literally step across, aren't drawing anglers from across the globe.

But Little Mountain, which sits inconspicuously in southwest Wyoming near the borders it shares with Utah and Colorado, is home to some of the state's best, most intact habitat for wild fish. It is also one of the last shelters for the gravely threatened Colorado River cutthroat trout. The region's pristine habitat isn't only a bastion of wild, native fish, it is also offers up some of the most prized hunting grounds in the state. The Greater Little Mountain Coalition calls drawing a deer or elk tag in the region a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hunt some of the best populations of trophy big game in Wyoming."

And it's in trouble.