Way Upstream

Fishing For Answers

El Pescador — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:42:00 -0800

Fishing For Answers

We argue about the philosophical underpinnings
of catching largemouth bass.

He says you have to know when to change patterns,
by which he means go to a new strategy.

Some fishermen stay with the same tactics too long
before finally realizing they’re not going to be productive.

The skillful angler knows very quickly when
to change to something else. He has vast experience.
He knows barometric pressure, wind conditions,
water temperature, thermocline, time of year,
hour of the day, position of the sun, effects of cloud cover,
structure at the bottom of the lake.

He’s making a good argument for skill over luck
but I’m still not entirely convinced.
He argues good science equals good fishing.

I think he has something there
until I recognize the great mystery
every time I cast a line into the unknown,
the sense of shock and surprise each time
a fish holds on to the hook, leaps out of the water,
suspended for a millisecond,
in a world it can’t possibly understand.

Poem by Alan Harawitz Photo/illustration by El Pescador

I'm not aware of the ER release date but I'll chec...

El Pescador — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:42:18 -0800

I'm not aware of the ER release date but I'll check in with the FSM team to see if they have any information.

Decomposition

El Pescador — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:22:00 -0800

Photo and illustration by Steve Stracqualursi

Still loooking for ER release! Best short of the f...

flycaster — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:31:43 -0800

Still loooking for ER release! Best short of the film tour by far... Will the release be in Blu-Ray? I hope so because DVD is so yesterday.

The fish have a Mayan or Aztec feel to them. They'...

El Pescador — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:59:21 -0800

The fish have a Mayan or Aztec feel to them. They'd make a cool pattern or t-shirt art. I really like the way Wayne used the red dot as well.

Maine is steeped in fishing tradition. Definitely ...

El Pescador — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:56:22 -0800

Maine is steeped in fishing tradition. Definitely try to come back someday. The state has a lot to offer. I appreciate the link Brian. Give me a little time to check out your content.

Very cool! Reminds me of the fish ornaments you ga...

Marie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:38:13 -0800

Very cool! Reminds me of the fish ornaments you gave me years ago that look like they are from Mexico or something.

xmas card

El Pescador — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:15:00 -0800

I came across another relic to share with the Way Upstreamers. This is a painting I got decades ago. An art major college friend named Wayne Woodworth painted it for me (RIT). I don't think I have heard from him since. I tried some web searches but no luck. Wayne, if you are out there, thank you. I still love it. (5.5"x7.5")

Painting by Wayne Woodworth Photos by El Pescador

I've been to Maine once, never to fly fish. It's b...

Brian — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:09:00 -0800

I've been to Maine once, never to fly fish. It's been a dream of mine to make it there. You've a great site. I made a link on mine to yours (pacificnorthwestflyfishing.com). I would be honored if you felt inclined to reciprocate. Take Care, Brian

The sunfish is interesting and beautiful. I'm not ...

El Pescador — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:06:04 -0700

The sunfish is interesting and beautiful. I'm not sure how it got named after the center of the solar system but it must be important. It was fun to change the scale and color for these images. It gives you a different perspective.

fish are really beautiful!

Marie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:08:00 -0700

fish are really beautiful!

Sunfish Exhibit

El Pescador — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Way Upstream Gallery Sunfish images by El Pescador

Thanks for the comment ML. The truth is that I've ...

El Pescador — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:20:33 -0700

Thanks for the comment ML. The truth is that I've always been an artist and sometimes it shows through. I'll touch base soon.

The polar express is on its way here too John. It ...

El Pescador — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:16:44 -0700

The polar express is on its way here too John. It won't be long before liquid turns to solid.

Hey El Pescador, I think you always wanted to be a...

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:21:57 -0700

Hey El Pescador,
I think you always wanted to be an artist!!
I miss you, hope you plan on a trip to Reno for fishing.
I think this is one of my favorites so far! email me tell me how you are doing!
ML

RISE in Maine

El Pescador — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:10:00 -0700

Coastal Fly Angler (Capt. Eric Wallace) is hosting two showings of the new fly fishing film from Confluence Films - RISE. The second full-length movie project from Confluence Films, RISE is a 70-minute feature that spotlights a line-up of interesting characters, captivating locales, and a series of stories that provide a fantastic look at the industry, the sport and the places fishing can take us. RISE showcases some of the world's finest angling destinations, including Venezuela, Idaho's Henry's Fork River, the Florida Keys, Argentina, New Orleans and the Katmai Region of Alaska. Mark your calendar and make plans to see this film plus support some good organizations at the same time. The location is the Frontier Cafe Cinema and Gallery (14 Maine St. / Mill 3 / Brunswick, ME). The dates are November 6th and 7th at 7pm. Profits from these two showings will benefit Stripers Forever for their striped bass game fish initiatives and the Crooked River Project to help restore Sebago Lake landlocked salmon habitat. Check out the 7 minute trailer and if you have questions call 207-671-4330. Operators are standing by.

Thanks! Starting to get cold up here and ice fish...

John — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:47:48 -0700

Thanks! Starting to get cold up here and ice fishing while still a ways off is coming on like a freight train!

I can print a limited edition (signed and numbered...

El Pescador — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:27:05 -0700

I can print a limited edition (signed and numbered) just in time for the holidays. Compensation options can vary and are reasonable. If you are interested let me know.

Marie, I've got you covered.

Wonderful illustration!! I love it!

BLUEANGLER — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:39:43 -0700

Wonderful illustration!! I love it!

Well said!! El, The little one is as valuable as ...

BLUEANGLER — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:38:41 -0700

Well said!! El,

The little one is as valuable as the big one! It's a different feel.

sounds good to me

marie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:47:40 -0700

sounds good to me

Indeed. That's a beauty El Pescador! Might anothe...

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:46:26 -0700

Indeed. That's a beauty El Pescador!
Might another copy make it to the shop here? Open to compensation options.

I might be able to arrange that for you.

El Pescador — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:56:50 -0700

I might be able to arrange that for you.

I would love that on my wall.

Marie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:06:49 -0700

I would love that on my wall.

Swimming the blues

El Pescador — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:07:00 -0700

Illustration by Steve Stracqualursi

Darkness and Color

El Pescador — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:19:00 -0700

As soon as I set out on a mid-October brook trout quest I was immediately struck by how deeply Fall had penetrated everything. There was a darkness about that felt secretly ominous. This darkness was expertly concealed by lavish splashes of color. Leaves ran the hue gamut from lime, tropical yellow and mango to spawning brook trout red. This was masterfully juxtaposed with rich evergreen and the blackness of forest shadow. The sky was a range of grays with cool blue peaking out of the rare cloud crevice. The wind helped animate the whole scene and fueled the seasonal take-over. I drove by Bath (“City of Ships”) and nodded to the Ironworks monument along the mighty Kennebec. I tooled by Wiscasset (“Prettiest little town in Maine”) and felt the summertime fire of the area fading to hearty coals. I rode down business Route 1 through Damariscotta and was surprised by the bustle in town, but then remembered the boost that the pumpkin festival infuses in this village as I passed massive painted pumpkins in front of almost every establishment.

I arrived at the quest location and met up with my friend and Master Maine Guide Sean McCormick. We wandered down the trail only stopping to peer into the “spring hole” surrounded by a patch of watercress. I saw a few finned shapes dart this way and that but couldn’t quite see any parr markings. We continued onward. At the trail’s end we readied the canoe and set out on the breezy Maine pond in search of Labrador-like cousins of the char. We quickened our pace as we saw several smashing rises near the lily pads along the far bank. Rigged with Buzz Balls and Serendipities we paddled to where we thought the trout lanes were and set our window sash canoe anchors.

I was shocked when a full head and shoulders came up to one of my early casts, so shocked that I didn’t set the hook immediately. I wasn’t expecting things to go easily. When you are told about wide-body brookies climbing on to dry flies you tend to protect yourself with the idea that it all could be a tall tale and that the pond could prove sterile. But the pond was not still on this evening. Our casts were met with some aggressive acceptance. Our 6X was put to the test (and occasionally snapped) by wildly colored slabs that you couldn’t get your hand around. Sean was concerned that the net he brought might be too small, though he didn't miss any.

After we both caught, photographed and released some special trout in the crystal clear water of this pond, a cold and determined wind changed the landscape. Small white caps put down the risers. We knew in a short span that the curtain had fallen. Darkness had overtaken color. We paddled back, stowed the canoe and shook hands, then made plans to fish for sea-runs in November.

Story and photos by El Pescador

The bullhead (I believe its technically referred t...

El Pescador — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:01:51 -0700

The bullhead (I believe its technically referred to as a horned pout) is "wild looking." It's ancestors were probably the ones to wander out of the water and on to dry land.

Wild looking fish!

Troutdawg — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:39:23 -0700

Wild looking fish!

gorgeous

marie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:31:45 -0700

gorgeous

Bullhead

El Pescador — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Photo/arrangement by Steve Stracqualursi Pond Series

I'm glad you like the recipe John and that you'd l...

El Pescador — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:05:24 -0700

I'm glad you like the recipe John and that you'd like to be included on the Way Upstream blogroll. Let me review Modern Ice Fishing for a bit and we'll see. Keep the line in the water and believe in every hole in the ice.

This recipe looks absolutely phenomenal. Thanks f...

John — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:10:52 -0700

This recipe looks absolutely phenomenal. Thanks for adding it to your website.

I'm wondering how one goes about getting added to your blogroll? Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

John

Golden Shiner

El Pescador — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Photo by Steve Stracqualursi Pond Series

Sunny

El Pescador — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:25:00 -0700

I took two ten year old boys fishing at a small freshwater quarry pond near the house. It sits less than a half mile from the open Atlantic. We were hoping to catch something armed with plain bread, minimal weight and tiny hooks. Here are the first images in a short art series of upcoming posts from that trip to the pond.

Photos/arrangement by Steve Stracqualursi Pond Series

Yum Yum!

Troutdawg — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:38:20 -0700

Yum Yum!

Postage stamp - CANADA

El Pescador — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Postage stamp illustration by Steve Stracqualursi

Postage stamp - USA

El Pescador — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Postage stamp illustration by Steve Stracqualursi

Fish Dish

El Pescador — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Seared Sheepshead fillets in white wine sauce with avocado/tomato salad and Laguna Madre green beans.

THE SALAD - Place halved avocado (pit and skin removed) on 2 thick slices of large vine ripe tomatoes, sprinkle coarse chopped cilantro over avocados then dress by putting several dashes of hot sauce in the avocado cavities, sprinkle w/sea salt/black pepper and squeeze half a key lime over them.

LAGUNA MADRE BEANS - Place a bunch of whole green beans in a medium sauce pan with a small amount of water, 2 cloves of whole crushed garlic, one small yellow onion quartered, sea salt/black pepper, cover and steam on medium high heat while the rest of the meal is prepared. Add a quarter stick of unsalted butter and coat bean mixture evenly before serving.

THE FISH - Coat 2 sheepshead fillets with "BT's fish breading" (1 part cornmeal-1 part flour/salt/black pepper/cayenne combination). Set aside for a while. When all other parts of meal near completion heat a pan coated with light olive oil to medium high, lay fillets in skillet until browned then turn and do the same to the other side. Sheepshead is a very light mild fish but tricky to get. Red snapper or black drum would make a good substitution.

THE SAUCE - Pour a liberal amount of white wine in a sauce pan then thick slice one lemon and place in the wine, cover and simmer on high until the wine reduces by about half. Remove lemon slices, add a bit more white wine plus 2 cloves crushed and coarse chopped garlic, bring to a high simmer then add 1/4 stick of unsalted butter, a couple dashes of hot sauce, sea salt and ground black pepper. Let that simmer for a while to reduce then add a 1/4 bunch of cilantro (coarse chopped) plus one spoonful of capers. As soon as that comes back to a simmer add one large spoonful of real mayonnaise and stir gently until the sauce creams, then let it simmer until it slightly thickens.

PRESENTATION - Place seared fillet in center of plate with salad and green beans on either side. Spoon sauce over fish and serve. The Estancia Chardonnay shown is a good match with this fish dish but you can substitute any number of beverage choices.

Food photo and recipe by Captain Billy Trimble

Mike Thompson's sheepshead photo taken by Ray Box

Playing around online

El Pescador — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:51:00 -0700

Photo by Bob Flight Illustration by El Pescador

The Little One

El Pescador — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:12:00 -0700

When it comes to the media (this blog included), it's apparent that the strongest love affair is with the big one. Who doesn't love to see an angler's catch when it's a monster? Most magazine covers portray once-in-a-lifetime catches of fish bigger than most of us will ever feel at the end of the line. The possibility of landing a big one keeps us all dreaming. But the reality is that the vast majority of the fish most of us catch are average or smaller. It made me think of the importance of the little one. Isn't it the little one that can make the difference between catching something and nothing on occasion? It's the little one that children most often catch and marvel at, inspiring future angling pursuits. Isn't it the little one that makes us laugh at its bravado, especially when it hits a fly as big as its head? It's the little one that often has the most perfect markings, face, fins and teeth. And it's the little one that must beat all the odds to become the big one. This post is a tribute to one of our most valuable fishing resources - The Little One.

Photos by Dave Buchholz and Marie Thornton

Special moment in time

El Pescador — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:17:00 -0700

You dress in clothing designed for the occasion. You select certain tools, patterns, knots, settings and lines that you believe are more right than others. You stand with rod in hand, making casts into water, eyes covered with lenses to help improve sight. All with the hope that the result will be a special moment in time.

Photo by Robert Emerson Flight Words by El Pescador

On the rocks

El Pescador — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:20:00 -0700

Photo and illustration by El Pescador

Protect something worth more than gold

El Pescador — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:37:00 -0700

Many of you in the Way Upstream community are aware of the battle being waged between mining interests and the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. Over one million acres of prime wildlife and salmon habitat in Bristol Bay, Alaska could be opened to new mining claims with the stroke of a pen. If you oppose such actions then here's something you can do to help protect this rare and pristine region. Join hundreds of hunting and fishing groups representing millions of America’s conservationists and anglers, outfitters, guides, and lodge owners and ask Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey to protect 1 million acres of federal fish and wildlife habitat in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Visit Trout Unlimited's online action center and tell Ken Salazar, Interior Secretary, to permanently protect federal lands in Bristol Bay from a modern day gold rush. Feel free to contact Chris Wood (COO of Trout Unlimited) with questions or for more information by calling 703-284-9428.

Tail end of the season

El Pescador — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:17:00 -0700

Photo and arrangement by El Pescador

Industry perspective

El Pescador — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:00:00 -0700

I wasn't able to attend FFR this year so I've been looking for reports on the tradeshow and saw one pop onto the radar last night. Drew Simmons of wicked outdoorsy posted highlights, news and commentary about the recent FFR show that I wanted to share with the Way Upstream community. The post is titled - FlyFishing Retailer to leave Denver? Check it out. Share your thoughts. I'll keep you posted on other reviews as they appear.

Photo by Rene Braun

Tribute to a mentor

El Pescador — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:22:00 -0700

Growing up in Upstate NY, I found myself searching out accessible water to direct my growing passion for fly fishing to in the nearby regions. I fell in love with the Ausable River (Adirondack Mountains) and frequented a small shop located in the vicinity. That shop was the Adirondack Sport Shop and the owner's name was Fran Betters. Fran Betters was an early influence on my fly fishing and fly tying development. I remember being intrigued by his Ausable Wulff fly pattern because the red head seemed to defy all the rules. I bought a couple of his books and then eventually a 7'6" 4-5wt rod that he built because it was considered his favorite (shown below). Sadly, Fran died this past Sunday but his influence will live on. You can read additional posts at MidCurrent, Tippetsandleader's and the fly line. You can hear a podcast about Fly Fishing the Adirondack Range that Fran did on Fly Fish Radio back in 2006. Godspeed Francis.

Rod photos by El Pescador

Line in the sand

El Pescador — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:43:00 -0700

Photo and illustration by El Pescador

For Those About To Rock

El Pescador — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:22:00 -0700

Photos from NoiseAddicts.com

Old vises die hard

El Pescador — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 06:12:00 -0700

Here's another post along the lines of the relics theme (Stereograph and Delta 5). I rounded up some of my old, inexpensive, utilitarian fly tying vises for documentation. Below (top to bottom) are a Thompson C, a crude bent metal type and a Sunrise Fly King (there is still a version of this one in production). I used the Thompson as my primary vise for quite a few years. I put a strip magnet along it's shaft which came in handy. I used the Sunrise a lot at the bench as well but it was also a good travel vise. I would use the box that it came in (secured with a rubber band) as a carry all tying kit on extended fishing forays. The crude metal vise was something that came in a beginners kit and I mainly used it stream side on weekend camping trips to places like the Catskills or Adirondacks. I remember bending it to fit the irregular decor of the outdoors.

Photos by El Pescador

Different and Similar

El Pescador — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:44:00 -0700

Photo by Steve Stracqualursi Illustrations by El Pescador