Sunfish Woodworks: Carving Out a Place for Fish Art

February 6, 2017

There is a certain aesthetic that comes to mind when you think “fishing lodge.” Rough-hewn wood, wildlife-silhouette lampshades, and fish mounts. In fact, taxidermy might be the epitome of this look such that any large fish immediately makes a room, regardless if it is in a cabin or suburban den, feel “woodsy.”

For generations, this has been the case. Fading, aged skin mounts that remind anglers of proud conquests frighten spouses and small children. Shiny fiberglass replicas, while more environmentally conscientious, aren’t much better. How is the fly fisher supposed to display their passion while maintaining marital bliss and adhering to some manner of style?

Just north of Detroit, Michigan, Bob Batchik is creating fishing art. Sunfish Woodworks meets the angler’s need while at the same time being visually pleasing to wider audience. For over 25 years, he has been crafting wooden fish by hand and selling them across the continent. “And every day I wake up excited to go to work,” Batchik says.

After some time as a woodworking hobbyist, Batchik began to receive interest from local fly fishers after one of his pieces was auctioned off at a Trout Unlimited fundraiser. “Fly fishers are a group that really appreciate the aesthetics of the outdoors experience,” Batchik says. “Everything from the rod, the places we fish, a fine cigar and a good bourbon; and then its great if you get to catch a fish. It is a perfect fit for artwork that captures that experience.”

The Fly Fishing Show: A Quick Look at 3 Great Products

February 3, 2017

If you haven’t ever been to the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, you’re missing out. As the world’s largest fly fishing expo, there is so much to see, hear, and do. The sheer volume of tying materials, rods, and other outdoor miscellany can overwhelm the senses (and, if you’re not careful, the wallet).

In Somerset, all of the industry mainstays are present when it comes to gear. Orvis, Simms, Thomas & Thomas, Patagonia, Ross, Cortland… the list could go on and on. Additionally, some of the hottest brands from the last decade show up in NJ: Hatch, Vedavoo, TenkaraUSA, Rep Your Water, Blue Halo, and a handful of others.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be featuring some stories from a number of companies that were at the Fly Fishing Show. Today, I wanted to showcase three products that intrigued me. On their own, the items from Brook Fishing Equipment, RexFly, and Waterworks Lamson are impressive. However, the presentations made by the respective owners/reps really did a great job explaining the usefulness and niche of each product.

Read my two cents, then follow the links to check out these great fly fishing products for yourself.

What $70 Will Buy You in Fly Fishing

February 1, 2017

For $70, you can buy a lot of things in this world. A month’s worth of cell phone service, a nice oxford dress shirt, or two tanks of gas for your sedan. Take the whole gang out for burgers and ice cream. If you’re shopping shrewdly, you can get a week’s worth of groceries for a small family.

Or, if you are a fly fisher, you can get a piece of dead chicken.

Or a fancy pair of nail clippers.

Or a shirt that looks like that $70 oxford, only with vent holes all over it and extra pockets. (Lots of extra pockets.)

For $70, there are plenty of things that you can buy in a fly shop.

You can buy thirty yards of fine, coiled PVC.

You can buy nearly two dozen fake bugs.

You can buy three trendy, stainless steel cups.

$70 is not that much money, especially when there are so many things that you need.

The 3 Things You Need To Do To Buy The Right Fly Rod

January 30, 2017

If there is one article online on “how to choose a fly rod,” there are a hundred. Generally, the information contained therein is pretty solid. As long as someone isn’t shilling for a particular company, communicating the basics is a straightforward task for an angler that has been around fly rods for a while. Experts, or those who quote experts, can guide you through tapers, modulus counts, and enough technological jargon to make you wonder what exactly you’re getting yourself into.

This article is not that. Finish reading this, then go Google “fly rod buying guide” – I insist. There are other websites that excel at such things. Within the industry there are guys and girls that literally cast fly rods for a living. They can break down every 5-weight on the market with the nuanced verbiage of a master sommelier. That stuff is important, but, as I’ll attempt to convince you, it shouldn’t be top priority.

From buying fly rods for nearly twenty years, and selling them in one capacity or another for a good chunk of that, I think there are three truly essential things to consider as you shop for your next fly rod:

Road Trip: Somerset Fly Fishing Show

January 27, 2017

The median hawk: patron bird of all those stuck in highway traffic.

The time has come. I’m heading up the Mid Atlantic coast for two days at the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, New Jersey. By the way, New Jersey blows old Jersey out of the water as it relates to angling expos.

What’s on the docket for today?

Lunch: Fast food. Preferably something local and/or sketchy enough I should take advantage of being by myself.
Stereo: Bluegrass, and an assortment of podcasts related to history, theology, and fly fishing.
Dinner: Whatever I can inhale between the show ending and the International Fly Fishing Film Festival kicking off at 6:30.
The time in between: Browsing, talking, booking a trip, shopping, interviewing, taking pictures, etc.

And then tomorrow, I get to do it all over again.

If you are going to be at the show, seek me out! I’ve got a beard, a black Timberland backpack, and I’m much shorter than I sound from the website. I have nothing free to give you, except a firm handshake and gratitude that you read Casting Across.

If you aren’t going to be at the show, check back here next week for some sort of commentary. And, for some practically live coverage, you should be following Casting Across on Instagram, Twitter, and the Facebooks. I swear that I’ll keep the selfies to a minimum.

3 Things Not To Do When Fishing New Water

January 23, 2017

You’ve mustered up the courage to try a new body of water. Instead of settling for the known commodity of your tried and true spot, you venture off boldly based upon something you read or overheard at a fly shop.

You do your research, map out the journey, pack up your provisions, and head out. Blazing a personal angling trail can be rewarding, but it can also feel precarious. The fly fishing pioneer spirit also entails encountering the dangers of the unknown: avalanches of doubt, bouts of feverous frustration, and bears.

Potentially, there can be bears.

Here are three things not to do when you’re fishing someplace new:

Leave

“This must be the wrong ‘Spring Creek’; the one without fish. I’m just going to head over somewhere I’ve been before.” There are plenty of overused high school football coach cliché quotes that I can throw out for this one. You only fail if you don’t try. No one has ever won by not starting. 90% of fishing is half mental. Something like that.

Last Cast of the Week, 1/20/2017

January 20, 2017

Most Fridays on Casting Across are devoted to other people’s contributions in the fly fishing community. Articles, pictures, social media accounts, videos, podcasts, products, and more will be featured on The Last Cast of the Week.

Today, I’m sharing items from Pennsylvania Rod and Reel, Thin Air Angler, and Bill Dance.

If you’d like to be featured in the Last Cast of the Week, or have seen something that others might be interested in, use my contact form or shoot me an email (matthew[at]castingacross[dot]com). Also, be sure to subscribe to Casting Across to never miss a post.

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Pennsylvania Rod and Reel – Winter Trout Survival Guide

Let’s be honest: we all know that trout fishing in the winter can be great. But it can be different, frustrating, and cold. Like, spray Pam on your guides cold. And such tips like that can reduce frustration, help you deal with the cold, and figure out the differences between January and March. In this post on PA Rod and Reel, there is a lot of encouragement. Some places to start and helpful tips are mentioned. Most significantly, the author reminds us to simply enjoy the peculiarities that winter fly fishing can bring.

Thin Air Angler – Purple Foam Parachute Adams

I saw this fly on the Orvis blog, and one look sent me clicking for more information. It is a dry fly that takes multiple hooks. It is purple. It is an Adams. Bob Reece has some neat patterns, and some great techniques. Whenever I see a fly like this, it gets me thinking about what the possibilities are for tweaking or rethinking established patterns. But first, I think I need to fish a Purple Foam Parachute Adams.

Bill Dance – Bloopers

I’ve watched these dozens of times, and they always make me happy. I grew up on Bill Dance, so seeing him fall into muddy water or run from snakes is nostalgic and hilarious. Having a bad day? Watch a few of these YouTube clips and try not to smile.

New Water: I Fished Beaver Creek

January 18, 2017

I’m aware that my situation is by no means unique: I’m busy and I don’t get to fly fish as much as I’d like. So when the opportunity to get a few hours on the water avails itself, I seize it. Regardless of conditions, I’m going to be fishing for every single minute I can.

This past weekend I had about five hours to get away. Five hours to fly fish. Being in Northern Virginia, my options are limitless three seasons out of the year. Winter, however, reduces one’s choices significantly. Especially when the timeframe is relatively short, there are only a handful of waters that will be good bets within an hour’s drive.

Given that hour-or-so radius, I settled on central Maryland. While the area isn’t known for being a stellar trout region, there are a number of very viable fisheries. Big Hunting Creek was where I cut my fly fishing teeth. Catoctin Creek is a relatively “new” special regulation stream.

But then I thought: I’ve never fished Beaver Creek.

Beaver Creek is right about an hour away, has a mile of fly fishing only / catch and release water, and is a limestone stream. The last characteristic was the most appealing. The spring influence provides a productive, year-round habitat for trout, while it also somewhat buffers the flows from rain and ice melt.

I was off to fish Beaver Creek, for the very first time.

Living & Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing & Living

January 16, 2017

What if I told you that you could fish longer?

More hours in a day, more days in a year, and potentially even more years in your life.

For most of us, there is a way.

A significant part of what most fly fishers appreciate about the places where they get to pursue fish is the remote nature of such locales. Even in urban or suburban environs, getting to less pressured spots requires trekking a bit from the parking lots and easy access points. Although fly fishing doesn’t have to be an athletic endeavor, it does indeed require moving.

Moving requires exertion. Exertion, as you are well aware, gets progressively more difficult as it adds up. That happens over the course of an afternoon, a week, and a lifetime. Climbing up one more hill and down one more steep bank becomes a chore, rather than an adventure. The arm and shoulder motions needed for casting become more painful than the deficits in skill. A little ice turns into a big deal… or even a mortal threat.