Paddling Maze

Besides fishing Mason Springs, we made the drive out to paddle the Mattawoman Creek. We launched from Salvens Boat Ramp and went with the current and wind. Along the drift, we found a cut through - or at least we thought it was a cut through. We really wanted to be on the other side from where we were - but there were a tons of glitter boats (bass boats - they are all so sparkly) blocking access to that part of the water way. If this cut out worked, we would have been back up current and up wind of the launching point. Well - we got a big dead end. Fun nonetheless! On the way back, the kids got tired and a tow from La (Hooyah PT) I don't think I could get four paddleboards, lifejackets, rinsing water and fishing poles packed smartly on any of the other vehicles I was looking at a couple of years back. I'm glad I got the Surf Taco!

Brought the Kids to Catch More Shad

I found this place via a video on youtube. Mason Springs, Maryland. I caught two shad using a clear grub with red-white-blue flecks (HOOYAH AMERICA!!!). Fun on the light action spinning gear. If I had room for a back cast, I would have tried for the shad with the Epic 686 again, but the strategic placement of trees ruled that out. Noe caught a sunfish. On the other side of the bridge, the group was catching shad like every other cast - location, location, location.

All Pau Brah!!!

I finished wrapping the Epic 480 kit rod!!! Actually, as I write this at 2101 Sunday evening, I finished putting on the second coat of epoxy and will have the rod rotate overnight as the top coat cures. This build was not nearly as hard or complex as I initially thought it would be. It was totally satisfying and I look forward to fishing this rod a lot. As the close cousin to the Epic 686 I raved about in yesterday's post, I have huge expectations for this rod and knowing the details behind the construction, I will use it both in freshwater and in the salt!!! There are a lot of memories to be made with this rod and I can't wait! Well - I have to at least wait 24 hours for the top coat. I'll post pictures of the completed rod tomorrow.

Even More Fishing

Noe had a playdate today so Marlon quickly asked to go flyfishing at the Lake - TWIST MY ARM!!! I brought out a different rod - the Axisco Airrite Feelex 7'0" 4 piece 3wt. I LOVE THIS ROD!!!! I lined it up with a RIO Perception 3wt and it was casting bliss! Wrestling medium sized bluegill was a blast! And the bigger males were bending the rod into the butt section!!! Marlon caught a couple and is getting his casts further out. The fish are starting to look up - Marlon and I both ended up using poppers and gots some great takes!!!

SUP Flyfishing for Potomac Shad (again)

I paddled out at Fletcher's Cove again (same trip as last weekend) - this time I brought the Chris Barclay built Epic 686 fiberglass fly rod lined with an Orvis Access Full Sink 6wt line. The line was tricky to cast (and some of my casts looked like total crap - but I did get off several decent looking shots if I might say so myself). I cannot say in words how awesome it was to fish this rod and to pull in decent fighters like these spawning shad. The bend in the rod was so cool! Some of the other pictures below are of me fishing my Orvis Hydros 8wt. I caught one big shad that was exercising the Hydros well - the difference between the rods besides the Epic being olive is the Orvis has two stripper guides (which you can see on the pics). The pink jighead fly worked again this session - I didn't get a single it on any other fly. Oh what fun I had!!!

More Wrapping on the Epic 480

I got the wraps done on the butt and middle sections of the Epic 480. The tip section has a lot of wrapping associated with it (tiptop + 6 snake guides). Hopefully I can get it done this weekend so I can epoxy the whole rod shortly thereafter. Oh - then I can FISH IT!!! Yeehaw!!!

Thursday is Fishing After School Day

I took the kids out to cast some flies this afternoon. I rigged up the 7'6" 3/4wt Steffen (Leiderman made) and the 8'0" 3/4wt Steffen (The Fiberglass Manifesto Loaner from Tight Loops). I lined both with the 4wt SA Trout line and a slightly weighted fly. The 8'0" is a sweet rod. Once you get a few feet of line moving, this rod can really get more line out and flies on target. The 7'6" is less sweet (seems stiffer - and rightfully so as it is shorter by 6"), but if you put on a light weight fly, this rod does a wonderful job casting lighter flies. The crappie were out and the bigger bluegill are moving into the shallows again (finally). The male bluegill have colored up nicely - brilliant burnt orange being the primary telltale sign of impending spawning. I'm just glad the fish are finally moving up from the deeper holes.

Epic 480 Rod Build - Handle and Reel Seat

I started building the Epic 480 Rod Kit that I purchased just a bit ago. Got the handle and reel seat epoxied on last night. This evening I started trying to develop a technique for making thread wraps. If I had a third hand to put a finger on the thread crossover (first turn), this would be easy. Unfortunately I wasn't born with a third hand so I will have to resort to practice. Wrapping the threads has the same allure as mowing foam - mind numbingly calm, yet critical. I think with a higher workspace, better lighting and getting a better feel for how the wraps should work, this could become addictive (although tying flies is way more affordable - and just how many rods does one need.... who am I kidding...)