I recently built a 6' 6" 2wt using a Proof blank and it's a great rod; casts wonderfully, and looks fantastic. Now, though, I'm eyeing their 9' 5wt carbon blanks, and I'm wondering if anyone has any reviews on how the larger offerings from Proof perform. If it's as nice a rod to fish as the 2wt, I will grab one and start building it asap.
So, anyone got any experience with the Proof 5wt?
Thanks in advance!
Got this guy on a tiny (size 24) zebra midge in some nice cold water in the middle of this unbearable heat.
Our family car is a 2025 Kona Electric SEL. We've had it about a year/13k miles and really like the car! My wife, though, uses a lot of sunscreen***,*** and it always leaves white marks on the interior door surfaces (on the sills under the windows, armrest, etc.) and some of the exterior surfaces (the black plastic part of the pillar that one would usually touch when closing the door from outside, for example).
Since we have had the car, I've just dealt with it by wiping those surfaces down once or twice a week with a microfiber towel and a bit of Armor All cleaner. That's worked ok, but after a year I am starting to get a little concerned about the longevity of the strategy, and I don't want inspection issues when the lease is up in 2 years because there's greasy sunscreen stains all over the place.
For the exterior bits, I think I am just going to wrap them with black vinyl since they're flat, small, etc. But I can't seem to come up with a fix for the interior. Any solutions anyone has come across? I've hunted online for interior covers, but haven't found much that looks great. Weather Tech and a few other companies make hanging canvas covers for the interiors, but those aren't great looking. Something like a physical barrier like vinyl would be ideal. Or are there any wipe-on protectants that anyone recommends?
Asking my wife to find a way to not be slathered in sunscreen is not an option lol. I've been on various versions of that path for years and I know where it ends!
I'm a fly angler in TN (mostly fishing Smoky Mountain streams for small native brookies) and after careful consideration, I've set myself up to visit MI in a couple of weeks to do some fishing and camping.
As of now, I'm driving up to Clare on June 22 and staying the night in a hotel before I kick off 4 days of fishing, with the first stop (probably, unless you tell me otherwise!) being the Upper Manistee. I'll be wading, and I'm mainly keen on catching browns and rainbows since fishing for them is not what I normally do.
Any advice for must-visit streams? Places to camp (with good river access)? Gear to bring (I'm planning on bringing a 9' 5wt and 7' 6" 3wt, along with a pretty normal assortment of flies; EHC, pheasant tail nymphs, perdigons, sulphurs, midges, etc.)? Fly shops to patronize? Things to avoid?
I absolutely love Michigan, and am really looking forward to visiting and fishing, so lay it on me!
I live in East TN, so I'm blessed with lots of great fishing right in my backyard. I get into GSMNP 3-4 days a week, and some good tailwaters about as frequently. I've got a nice chunk of free time coming up, and I want to take a little trip to fish some new water. If you were me, given the conditions below, where would you go?
-I'm only interested in trout. I like interesting and pretty fish and don't care much about size. For reference, southern Appalachian brook trout are my main day to day interest.
-I'll be taking whatever trip I decide on in late June or early July, so I'll need good temps and nothing that needs significant advanced planning.
-I'll be driving, but would be willing to do 10-12 hours each way. So let's say the (flexible) limit is a 12 hour drive from TN.
-I'm looking to spend about 6-7 days total on the trip, including driving.
-I'm good with hard to access water. Long hikes for good trout are no problem.
-I would prefer places that aren't so technical that a guide trip is a must. I'm a solid angler and can figure things out myself on most freshwater, and would prefer to skip water that's so tricky you really need a guide.
-I would prefer to camp near where I'm fishing, with stream-side camping a huge plus.
Any great ideas? Some things I've been considering are going to MI (I love the UP, but haven't ever fished up there), the Cranberry River or Dolly Sods areas in WV (have done a fair bit of backcountry camping up there but never fished it), and possibly going up to NY to the Delaware (haven't spent any real time in the area).
Why are some people so terrible when it comes to basic fishing etiquette, and what is the best way to handle conflicts over space on the water? Two recent experiences have me thinking about this.
A few weeks ago, I was fishing in a small and not terribly pressured mountain stream. I fish this stream a few times a week, and it's rarely a challenge to negotiate in a way that leaves plenty of space for other folks fishing. As I was getting my things together and walking down to the water, a truck pulled up and a guy with spinning gear hopped out and started to fish maybe 12 feet upstream from where I was entering the water. I barked at the guy and told him to get back in his truck and drive at least a couple hundred yards ahead, and he did. I started to feel bad about it later, and when I left I saw him getting some gear together at his truck and I stopped and chatted with him and apologized for being brusque, and he was friendly and understanding. He was from out of town and didn't really realize how spooked small stream brook trout get in this water, so he didn't fully grasp it was not cool to high-hole someone. In the end it was a positive interaction, and I was glad I was able to leave feeling good about it.
A few days ago, I went to fish a local large tailwater to try to catch a good hatch. As I was wrapping up getting my stuff setup in the parking lot and getting into the water to walk downriver to a promising spot, 2 younger guys pulled in and started getting ready. I was in the water a full 15 minutes before they were, and walked down to the spot I had my eye on. 25 minutes later, they walked up and started casting into water literally 15 feet upstream of where I was fishing. I had netted a few fish by then so rather than try to ask them to move, I just left and fished a bit more about 100 yards upstream on a small branch off the tailwater, but I left feeling kind of down about the whole thing (although I was pleased to have landed a bunch of rainbows and browns!).
So, how do other folks handle this kind of situation? I don't like feeling territorial, so I don't seem to be able to ask for someone to be considerate without feeling terrible about it. But at the same time, I hate feeling like my day on the water is cut short or ruined because someone isn't being mindful.