Monday Morning Rocking Along
An Enlightening Weekend Behind and Sunny Hot Weather AHEAD!
Are you ready for this? So the temperature projections are for 80’s today, as we approach leap day 2024, and still we have no indication that the sand bass runs North Central Texas is famous for? are in FULL BLOOM. Coming on, yes, we see the buds on the branches, but …
Until those redbuds pop, we will be dabbling in sand bass, at least YOU WILL BE dabbling in sand bass in places like Denton Creek, south of Denton, Texas. If I were you, I would take advantage of the dry shorelines there, and GO CATCH some sand bass there – if it is within you range of travel. That’s your hotspot for now. AND if you want to be added to the “Hotspots 24,” just send me a text and I will add you to my growing TEXT list of people who want the latest I have to offer in the way of information!
Last Saturday was the only day, other than helping with setup Friday, I was at the Texas Fly Fishing & Brewfest event in Mesquite, Texas. Why Mesquite? You tell me! This event suffers because of location, and it is obvious why:
- Terrible Highways lead to it.
- The facility is in disrepair.
- It is not central to any geographic point on the DFW map.
Other than that? I had a pretty darn good time at the event! There was time to visit with old friends who were kind in asking about my health, and we thoughtful old guys always return the kindness and ask about theirs … some answers are better than others, but the heartfelt questions are very assuring … some people do actually still care. I thank you for that!
Show & Tell
Probably because of the actual size of the show, there were products that I have not seen anywhere else – meaning at any of the other shows I attend. So it amounted to a bit of a “sneak peek” into entire product lines, like the MoonLit entire line of glass rods, their vises, fly lines and reels. I was backing up THAT booth with Greg Welander, and also floating over to the connected booth for Dirty Water Fly Co. where I couldn’t help but promote the fantastic freshwater reel deal that Lamson Waterworks has –
On the other side, there were casting demonstrations, local lectures about fly fishing for sand bass (again a Greg Welander lecture), and a lot of booths with destinations that actually interest me, like the west side of the Yucatan Peninsula for Campeche Tarpon. If things go just wrong in November, that may be where you find me for Christmas 2024! I am impressed by the possibilities of that area, and really want to see Merida soon. Don’t forget to update your passport ASAP – US PASSPORT INFORMATION
SAWGRASS NEW MOON FLY ROD
My Sawgrass 5WT was hand delivered to me at the show by Captain Illich, and everyone had to get their hands on the one-piece Sawgrass Fly Rod. I guess four guys casted the rod before I even had a chance! I loved seeing the faces of these guys, seasoned as they are … just, suddenly, a light bulb goes off – EVERY SINGLE TIME every single face – when they start loading this rod. Every. Single. Time. This is the first of my Sawgrass Fly Rods, and with a little help from YOU THE READERS, I can encourage a few more to find their way into my our hands. I have lots of fly rods, not as many as most of you though. But in seventeen years, this one stops the show. If you are interested in getting your hands on the Sawgrass Fly Rod, a 8’9″ one-piece, just CONTACT ME today.
In case I forget! there were a lot of fly tying booths, and I picked up some fantastic new COLORS in the coyote I use for tying the Coyote Carp Fly … and they are sexy as heck! Get ready for a brand new feature as well: I am buying a “complete” selection of locally tied bass flies to start the bass season off right. And it starts with (PURCHASE OF) a dozen flies from Dirty Water Fly Co and also a dozen from the hair-spinning hands of Lee Blanton. It will be the ONLY box I use this year for bass, and I will put images of the flies as they are added – here and on the Instagrammie page. IF YOU FANCY YOURSELF a bass fly tier? Show me! And there may just be room for YOUR FLIES in the Texas Bass Box this year.
AND I had a visit from the REP for Wolff Industries, Inc. – Daniel Cox while I was there. He was checking in on me about the new Atlas fly tying vise that should be arriving this week here at Fish Camp North. You probably already read, I am on something of a vise binge these days, and I have always been intrigued by the Atlas, a USA made vise that has an almost unbelievable pricepoint these days. We will roll out that vise as soon as it arrives – SUBSCRIBE to MY TEXASFLYCASTER YouTube Channel!!!
Play Means Work
Along with the Texas Fly Fishing Rolling Thunder Revue this spring, work does wait for this weather as well. I am seeking knowledge about where to find parts for the Airstream Trailer, including copper gas fittings, stainless brake lines, a new freshwater tank … and much, much more …
With this weather change, I am coming out to play! So if anyone wants to add themselves to my (writing/video) coverage in the spring of 2024, you better contact me soon! And if you want to get on the books for a guided carp trip? That time is about to be at hand as well … stay tuned!
The fly line mat sales have started their spring launch, and I was able to sell a couple at the show last Saturday, and orders are lining up online as well. Be sure to get yourself in line for a mat while turnaround times are not lagging!
THANKS FOR READING, and contact me if you are interested in featuring your fly fishing guiding, like Alex Guthrie at Fly Fish Fork. I hope to get some time with Alex this spring on Lake Fork and other guides who would like to be featured for their fly fishing guide services – WHEREVER YOU ARE in TEXAS.
Category: Adventure, Airstream Fly Shop, Body-Mind-Soul, Equipment, Event Podcasting, Events, Fishing Reports, Fly Fisher Health and Wellness, Fly Fishing for Largemouth Bass, Fly Line Management System, Fly Shops, Fly Tying, Hot Spot, Life Observed, Mexico Fly Fishing Report, North Texas, Soggy Bottom Boys
