Posts from the ‘Lifestyle’ Category
Fly Fishing Tales
A friend and business acquaintance sent a parable to me today as, I think, something of a cautionary tale. It’s too nice not to share, particularly with fellow anglers. I am probably violating all sorts of copyright in sharing it this way, but what the heck:
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The Columbia Bonehead Fishing Shirt
Today True North Trout reviews the second in our line of angling shirts — the Bonehead model by Columbia Sportswear. The shirt comes in both long-sleeve and short-sleeve versions, and the short-sleeve version goes for about $36.00 retail.
Fabric
The Columbia Sportswear Bonehead is made from a 100% cotton ultralight poplin fabric, which is comfortable and breathable. I think it is absolutely a perfect choice for the tropics and on hot days in Northern Michigan, as well. I find the fabric to be an absolute pleasure on warm or windy days in Florida in early spring, and I because I own a number of these shirts, I find myself packing most of my collection for my regular trips to Florida in February and March. I also wear them on my driftboat in August when I am fishing the lower Au Sable.
My one complaint with this particular fabric is the ease with which it wrinkles. I find that when I take these shirts out of the dryer that they are frequently a mess and need ironing to look right. The pocket flaps in particular are bad — usually they need quite a bit of work to get them to lay-down right. I would say that of all the fishing shirts out there that I have tried, these are the ones most in need of work with an iron when they come out of the wash.
Fit
The thing to keep in mind with the entire Columbia Sportswear line of fishing shirts is the fact that they are sized quite a bit on the large side.
I’m one of those people who straddle traditional sizing models. With one manufacturer I find that the large size is perfect, and with another I find that I need the extra-large. But with the Columbia line, it is ALWAYS the large — and I find that sometimes I wish I could completely fit in the medium. Overall, the “large” fits me well enough, but in wind on the flats the shirt tends to balloon out quite a bit due to the fact that it is extra-roomy in both the torso and the arms, and I wish it was cut a bit less roomy overall.
The one thing that is nice about this sizing model comes in the area of the shirt tails. Most shirts I buy tend over time to get untucked simply because the tails are not long enough, but this is not a problem for the Columbia Bonehead — the tail stays tucked all the time, which I like.
Functionality
One problem with most tropical flats fishing shirts is that the designers spend too much time trying to figure out ways to stick more and more pockets on the shirt. This is a bit silly as saltwater angling is either done (a) from a boat, in which case a bunch of pockets are unnecessary because all your gear is stored in the boat, or (b) from your feet, in which case you’ve got a fanny pack or a chest pack that holds your gear because you don’t want the bulk of it moving around in your shirt when you’re casting. In either case, all those balloon pockets are a bit of overkill, in my view.
The Columbia Bonehead, to its credit, does not have this problem. It has a nice range of storage options but none of it is overkill, and the shirt has a nice clean look with a minimum of unneeded storage spots to clutter-up the front of the shirt.
It does sport a bit of Velcro for rod holder patch — the most useless accessory on a shirt, in my view — but also includes spots to hang saltwater and freshwater flies, along with a fully-vented back. Very nice.
Quality
Overall, I give high marks to the Columbia Bonehead when it comes to quality. The stitching is excellent, the buttons are of good quality and fastened on well, and the corners on the pockets are reinforced. I’ve put my shirts through the wash a number of times and they come out looking great with little fading and are mechanically in excellent condition.
Appearance
The Columbia bonehead comes in both long-sleeve and short-sleeve models. The long-sleeve model comes with integrated tabs to make it easy to roll-up the sleeves. It comes in about ten colors, most of which are more appropriate for saltwater anglers. Columbia recently added the “Super Bonehead Flats” line which brings prints to their offerings, too.
Because these shirts are so widely available, and available outside of traditional sporting goods venues, it is easy to write them off as not being of good quality. I have found, however, that the opposite is true — setting aside the problems of fit, I think of these shirts as excellent choices particularly for saltwater angling adventures.
Note: This is the second in a four-part series of reviews on popular fishing shirts, with a focus on their fit, functionality, quality, and appearance. Look for upcoming installments in future weeks.
Copyright © 2009 Gotta Go Fly Fishing. All rights reserved.
Maybe it is all just the evolution of that Hardy girl ad. Do you know the one?
It has come to my attention that something has happened in the margins of the culture of American fly angling which, if you really think about it, should have happened already by now.
But it didn’t.
But now it has.
Before I bring this point up — and for the official record — I’m no prude. I took great delight in discovering that even John Voelker’s camp at Frenchman’s Pond was adorned with a quality canvas nude. My discovery of this fact coincided with another less pleasant discovery, namely the fact that Russ, the owner of Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City, for some reason took down a rather fine and, I thought, quite tasteful life-sized black-and-white nude that he had hung over the bar these last few years. The nude did nothing to add or detract from the taste of his wonderful products, but did give you something to seriously consider while you were sitting at his bar munching on popcorn. Perhaps he felt is was distracting his clients from a full appreciation of his CEO Stout.
It is said that everything in life has its compensations. But I fail to see the compensation in this instance, in particular.
But I digress. The phenomenon to which I would call your attention is the permutation of rather well-produced fly angling calendars featuring bikini-clad young female anglers wearing hip boots (which I, for one, never realized were quite so sexy) and holding fly rods and generally making you wonder where precisely they are pinning their fly-drying patches and hanging their hemostats.
Copyright © 2009 Women in Waders. All rights reserved.
The first calendar of which I became aware was the aptly-named “Women in Waders,” which remains I think the benchmark publication in this area. But to this we must now add two more: “Girls Fly Fishing” and “Gotta Go Fly Fishing” (or is it “Girls Gone Fly Fishing”).
Is it some sort of sign when a sport like fly fishing finds itself on the receiving end of this particular type of attention? I get the part when professional wrestling goes down this road, or when a magazine like Guitar World puts out a cover with a model in micro-sized swimwear holding a Gibson Les Paul and leaning on Slash, but I’ll admit to being surprised to see the same treatment when it comes to fly casting.
Surprised, but not necessarily disappointed.
The truth is that fly angling has taken a turn in a certain direction… Eschewing the tradition of tiers giving flies the names of their fiscally-well-endowed clients (like the Adams), Kelly Galloup’s flies bear names like “Sex Dungeon” and “T and A Bunker,” and younger anglers in the sport are — in my view, anyway — both fishing more aggressively, more creatively, more refreshingly, and more passionately than ever. And part of this, oddly, is treating fly angling as a kind of extreme sport and making it part of an extreme sport culture, though I think in a way that for the most part fundamentally preserves the what is best in the sport’s “original” tradition and ethic. It’s hard not to see this in the culture of the younger guides working at the better fly shops, anyway.
What does this have to do with Women in Waders? Hard to say. Perhaps some of my friends in Flygirls would take a different view out of the blocks, and perhaps the creators of such products are simply appealing to a baser instinct and dragging us all down by our wader belts toward Gomorrah, and perhaps I’m looking for a connection here that could lead me to take a more charitable read on all this. And so perhaps I’m also being a bit naïve — wouldn’t be the first time.
I will say this — they are certainly nicely-photographed calendars.
I’m getting a bit verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves.
T|N|T asked Northern Michigan REALTOR® Susan Hintz to write a little on the current real estate market as it relates to riverfront property. As she shares below in her analysis, the market has seen a substantial change in this last year, both in terms of the number of properties purchased and in terms of the average selling price. Although bank financing can be very difficult to obtain for some borrowers, the opportunities are certainly out there.
Susan, as you will see, has a warm humor about her. I’ve also fished with her, and can report that she is good company in a driftboat. – ed.
Susan Hintz
Are You a Bobber or a Caster?
It occurs to me there really are similarities between fishing and the real estate market; and it’s not as fishy as it sounds.
Take the angler: They come in two varieties. The “bobber” – one who hasn’t totally committed to the experience, not trusting in his or her abilities and instincts — floating out there aimlessly just hoping something will bite; not really expecting success, and then missing the opportunity if it strikes. And then there is the “caster” – one who is totally committed, hook, line and sinker — trusting of their abilities and instincts, and then casting methodically knowing that if they cover enough water that a bite is imminent. Persistence, timing and skill produce success with even the slightest of nibbles.
Now translate that to real estate. The “bobber,” one who has an interest in buying, hears that it’s a good time to invest, but questions the timing and values (wonders if it will get worse), ultimately can’t decide, and therefore does nothing — resulting in a missed opportunity. But the “caster“– one who studies the market, sees the value, makes a decision, casts, sets the hook, and captures a big one.
So, is it a good time to invest in riverfront or fishing property? Yes, and I’m not just feeding you a line. Why? Because here’s the “reel” deal:
1) They’re not making any more! So demand will continue.
2) Property values/prices have adjusted resulting in a decrease in average sold dollars.
3) Mortgage rates for second homes are relatively low; surfacing around 6%.
There are currently 67 properties listed in the Traverse City MLS [TAAR] that are located on the major area trout streams. Prices range in value from $79,900 to $699,900. Thus far in 2009, there have been only five sales with an average price of $206,980.00.
Sales History
Year |
# of Sales |
Average Price |
Days on Market |
2008 |
20 |
$277,575 |
180+ |
2007 |
19 |
$215,310 |
180+ |
2006 |
31 |
$212,605 |
141 |
2003 |
33 |
$162,033 |
137 |
With this in mind — what are you “wading” for? Get to the “river bank” and see what you qualify for, and then cast your line in the real estate stream and see what bites. It may take a few false casts before you hook a keeper, but you’ll never know until you get a fly on the water. Don’t be the one left on shore talking about the “big one that got away.”
An Old-Fashioned
I got to thinking about the Old-Fashioned yesterday. What brought it to mind was reading Jim Enger’s The Incompleat Angler: A Fly Fishing Odyssey. In the chapter entitled “The Master of Frenchman’s Pond,” Enger relates some of the details of his friendship with John Voelker, the author of Trout Madness, Trout Magic, Anatomy of a Murder, Laughing Whitefish, ex-Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and U.P. native and consummate brook trout aficionado.
Voelker himself was never shy in his writing in talking about his traditional favorite beverage — the Old-Fashioned, and Jim relates in his own account that “for many years at Voelker’s fishing camp [Frenchman's Pond] the bourbon old-fashioned was the official camp drink, and at four o’clock every afternoon the fishing stopped and a round was poured. They were almost always made in the big jelly jars and it didn’t take many drinks to kill a fifth” (p. 54).
Being a fly angler, an appreciator of fine spirits, and a fan of John Voelker’s work, I got the idea that I should try an old-fashioned out for myself. The truth is that I’ve had them before — made by bartenders — but suspected that there was something about what I was being served that missed the mark. So I did what everyone seems to do these day and Googled the term “Old-Fashioned,” was led to Wikipedia as always, and started on a bit of applied research.
To make what would otherwise be a long story a bit shorter, I made up at least a half-dozen versions of the beverage to try to discover a recipe that tickled me in the right places. It turns out that everyone who cares about such things seems to have a different theory on how a good old-fashioned is made, and being that everyone also seems to agree that it is among the very oldest cocktails around, it follows that there are plenty of versions out there to consider.
I can report, though, that will much sampling and adjusting, that this is my version — put forth for your consideration:
Begin with a old-fashioned glass. If no such glass is available, I can add that any glass decent enough to serve whiskey-on-ice will be good enough for this purpose. As remarked above, J.V. used jelly jars, so we don’t have to get too technical on this part. Make sure the glass is clean.
To this glass, add a cube of sugar. It will rattle around nicely when you drop it in the glass. I liked that part, especially.
Take a bottle of Angostura aromatic bitters, unscrew the top, and shake it firmly, twice, over the cube of sugar. As with Crazy Glue, a little bit will go along way, so don’t get too enthusiastic about this part. Two nice, firm shakes — then stop. Don’t push it, Tex. Really. Don’t.
Angostura aromatic bitters, as an aside, has an interesting history all by itself. But let’s not get distracted from what we’re doing here. Lots of time to talk about the history of bitters once the drinks are actually made.
You will now have a cube of sugar in the bottom of a glass, slowly melting and it will appear a bit brown from the bitters. Let’s call that a good start. The next step, however, commits me to a way of seeing the world, I guess. Because now my recommendation is to get a bit of soda water and add it to the glass. Fill to the point that the sugar cube is half-underwater and fighting to maintain its geometric integrity. This is controversial because many fans of the Old-Fashioned will tell you unequivocally that it is improper to put soda water in an Old-Fashioned. Period. By recommending that this be done, I am, I know, taking a position on this very issue that will not be popular with everyone. Feel free to write and express your hatred of me and all that people like myself represent — but that is how I like an Old-Fashioned.
Next come the part that is known as muddling. Mirriam-Webster defines ‘muddling’ as “to mix confusedly” and, also, as “to befog or stupefy, especially with liquor.” I like the second definition quite a bit and will now consider this for my headstone. Anyway, get yourself a blunt object that will fit in the glass and use it to break up the sugar cube and mix it “confusedly” with the bitters and soda water. When you are finished you will have an odd brownish liquid to consider and perhaps sample. That is up to you.
This is the point that I add ice; after the muddling, but before the whiskey. I like ice. Always have. And in this case I fill the glass with quite a bit of it. Not to the top, but within striking distance of it. Crushed ice, if you have it. But regular ice is fine. You might take this moment and appreciate the fact that you live in a time and place that allows for you to have ice for this sort of purpose. On demand. So stop complaining about things all the time, will ya?
The next part involves whiskey, but I need to say a bit about this. First, for the record, I have no problem with Jim Beam or Jack Daniels. I approve of both, and they would make a fine cocktail, I’m sure. Nevertheless, I have three alternative recommendations because — in my opinion — they make a better drink, and they are better on their own, as well. Rather than Jim or Jack, dear reader, let me suggest either Woodford Reserve (a Kentucky Bourbon favored by many), Maker’s Mark (which goes particularly well in the Mint Julep, too), or — my favorite — Ridgemont Reserve 1792 (it’s 93.7 proof, so take it easy and think about your plans for the rest of the evening). You will not be disappointed with any of these. In any event, add about two-to-three ounces of your favorite choice to the iced glass you see before you. Mix it around a little.
Good. You’re doing fine.
The last step is a garnish, but when you consider the fact that you’re dealing in whiskey — which is basically paint thinner — whatever you use as garnish will end up in the drink in the form of a flavor-enhancer. In this case, though, it is simple: cut a thin orange slice like a round bit of tasty heaven. Cut in half. Then get a bottle of Maraschino cherries, select a big one, wrap the orange slice around it, pin it all together with a toothpick, and waddle the whole thing about in the glass, then let go and let it ride out the storm as part of the drink.
By the way, I live in Traverse City, the cherry capital of the world, and am very familiar with how Maraschino cherries are made. Don’t ask. Don’t ask too many questions about cheese, either. Or sausage.
I read about — but have not tried — another version of the cocktail in question: I read that scotch whisky makes a fine choice when it comes to the alcohol part. This does sound good, and certainly scotch would take things in a different direction, and if I did decide to go there would probably reach for my standard scotch for blended drinks: Johnnie Walker Red. Perhaps this is an excuse for further experimentation.
In any event, here’s to John Voelker. Slàinte Mhath.
