OrangeQuest wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 11:02 am
Hope all is well, you have not posted in a while so figured I would check up on progress.
Howdy OrangeQuest, and everyone else!
It has been a super busy summer, with little work on the boat. I did manage to get the second coat of paint on the fuel compartments, so they are now done. This weekend I finally started back up on the boat, specifically the drain plugs that empty the cockpit. I will put some pics up of the progress, but first the fishing from this summer.
As for the delay on the boat - this summer I have been working on a big work project, the launch of our new website. Completed that so now I will get my evenings back. I have also been working on getting ready to build a new home, so that takes time. And two fishing trips back to back - one to fly fish for pike in Canada, and another 4 day 3 night backpacking trip into Yellowstone park to fly fish for trout.
I managed to catch a 36", 37", 38" and a 39" all on the fly over the course of 4 days. I had a handful of ever bigger Muskie follow the fly, two strikes, but no hook set. That was a day and a half on the water in Minnesota. Next time maybe. I used 10 and 12 weight Thomas and Thomas surf fly rods. Those rods can cast a fly a really long way. Typical cast between 60 and 80 feet, with some approaching 100'. Works well when blind casting to pike, or site casting to Muskie. Two arm rods make for an easier day than the typical overhand fly rod. The pike loved the flies my son and I tied up before the trip. I also picked up a new reel for my 14 weight fly rod, big enough to land tuna. It's is a monster fly reel, and you can see it next to a full size keyboard in the pic below. I call it the dinner plate. One day I hope to fish with it.
As for the trout, I landed a 22" on my 5 weight with a dry fly. Site casting. That was a lot of fun. This was after hiking 5 to 6 miles and two nights of camping before the third day of finally catching some fish. The first two days were really more hiking and exploring the river. I purchased a tent to replace my old one that finally fell apart, and it works great for hiking and fly fishing, with a vestibule large enough to hold everything under the rain fly (pack, waders, boots, etc), but not inside the tent.
Next up I will post some pics of the boat progress.
Casey
