Yes, it is our “Year of the Dry”, and Thanks to My Friend Andre La Porte, the inventor and my tier of the Bulkley Mouse. The Prefect, totally Natural Dry Fly. I am a Natural Fly Fisher. Just feels right to me!
My Fishing Partner since 1977, Michael Derry. Mike is a full on Dry fly Steelheader addict. He Fishes a 11.5 ft, 5 weight, “Sage One” Double Handed Rod with an Islander LX4, usually 12 pound Maxima and always a Bulkley Mouse tied by Andre Laporte. Matt King at Robinson’s Sporting Goods in Victoria is his gear advisor.
Michael and I just could not fish a wet fly this fall. I did not cast a wet fly till November, two months casting a Winston Boron 11 MX 11.5 ft 6 wt, an Islander LX4 and an Airflow Rage 380 wt Head. Now I don’t know if You my Friends are at all familiar with the Winston Boron Rods but OMG they are unbelievable. I purchased my first one at least ten years ago when they came on the market, a single hand 9 ft 7 wt also for dryfly steelhead. I first fished it on the upper Chilco River in July, the river is in freshet at this time of year but the trout are majorly on the feedbag, they are big, 7-8 pounds not uncommon and in the fast water of the freshet they are a serious handful. The Boron Winstontonian(as we have named it) is light and soft for dropping dryflies lightly on the water but hugely powerful for long casts into a wind or handling a Steelhead Maximus in heavy water. I have landed 20 pound Steelhead with this rod. So now I own a few Winston Boron Rods and the one I use now predominately for Dryfly Steelhead is the Boron 11MX as previously mentioned, 11.5 ft 6wt and I love it. At this point I must also sing praise for the Head that I use as well, the Airfllow Rage. This is a Scandi style line, longish compared to the new Skagit style lines but I can effortlessly flick out a 100 ft cast. Thank You to the famous Tim Rajeff as I hear he is the Airflow consultant on these lines. Now after all this I will tell You my feelings for Islander Reels, Awesome. A world class reel that is designed and built right here at home in Sannich, Victoria, my home town. Not only do they preform extreemly, big fish tearing line off them and the likes, but they are beautiful to look at and fish with.
Son Will and Chris Acheson enjoying an evening libation
