Eve of Eve Special

Book Review and River Flows

Orvis continues to work feverishly (much of the corporate fly world moves like a glacier in case you missed it) to position Tom Rosenbauer to assume the vacuum left by Lefty Kreh, and their publishing empire is no small part of that effort.

I have to preface this simple review by disclosing my personal biases about Rosenabuer. I have not met the guy, but I formed a harder opinion about the Orvis personality when I saw a video he did – apparently in the Orvis home offices, in which he momentarily berated his audience for having and expressing their own “well, what about this” opinions. That’s out there forever. I’ll just simply say Tom is no Lefty, and that was the moment. Obviously, as a long struggling video-maker, you can tell it rubbed ME wrong. The cardinal business rules include: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Violated. Get some rest Tom.

Here is a link to that video. Note To Orvis Video Production: You might think more about what gets out there under your banner. LINK TO VIDEO: Rosenbauer needs a nap!

THE ORVIS GUIDE TO LEADERS, Knots and TIPPETS

So let’s get to the book review. IF YOU don’t have a knot tying book, the reason you want one is for those times in the car (on the passenger side) when you are headed to some destination and your parents have told you “no phone,” or your phone isn’t getting signal so you can watch the huge volume of knot animations on the internet. Or, maybe you are a bookie, and you still carry save and shelve paper “versions” for reference. At some point you WILL BE TEMPTED by a knot book – they’re small and they have lots of pictures – and this Orvis book is as good as any. The Rosenabuer Orvis book’s banner “Completely Revised and Updated” is your hint: Version 2.0 of the same thing. Really? How much do knots change? I would assert that modern knot books are the least changed of any book you can buy.

One reason to get in on buying paper books now is COST. Books of all sizes are not only getting more expensive year-after-year, they’re getting more rare as well. Imagine a time when finding fly fishing books, yes even books on knots, becomes a quest even Santa shies away from. There may well come a time when books are actually a good investment. Besides, some day kids, that interweb thing could just melt down, the zombies could be at the gate, and all you have left is books – to throw at them! Go ahead, throw this one first.

If you don’t have a knot book, the Orvis book is as good a place as any to start your “paper version” of your knot book library.

A RIVER RUNS – TRINITY RIVER AT RAY ROBERTS SOUTH

I checked the flow at Lake Ray Roberts Dam, and as of yesterday they were in “Epic Mode,” releasing an incredible 3700 cfs. I have seen this release before, and a higher release number only once – since I have been paying attention. Just to see this amount of water at Ray Roberts is worth the drive. It is truly EPIC. 

Is it fishable though? I have never been able to make anything out of these flow levels. There will be probably plenty of catfishers with a few spark plugs dangling from a 120-pound leader, and carp chunks for bait, BUT that IS a lot of water. Please do not forget the danger factor of flows like these – a positive outcome – to falling in – would be pretty rare. 

Remember that if you do fish it – fish won’t be in the fastest water, they’ll be in the swirls. Throw a sinking line into a swirl and what do you catch? The bottom, mostly the bottom. So stick with a 9-foot fluorocarbon leader, and go longer leader if you doubt. It’s just as easy to throw a long leader as it is to a sink tip, if not more easy.

Tags: fly fishing books, lake ray roberts, orvis, ray roberts dam, Tom Rosenbauer

Category: Body-Mind-Soul, Book Reviews, Fishing Reports, North Texas