A driver never sleeps

A: Fredericton, NB - Thursday, 21-Feb

The plan, as it was conceived, seemed simple enough: wake up, load up the truck, tidy up the apartment, say last goodbyes, and start driving. I assumed we'd be on the road by 1400h.

At  2030h (Atlantic Time), we finally pulled out of town. It would have been logical to wait until morning, but there comes a time when you just have to go. We were delayed by a day already due to bad weather, and more bad weather was on the way.

The drive from Fredericton to the Quebec border was slow; heavy wind gusts with the kayak on top and occasional snow & ice-covered highways resulted in top speeds of 80km/h (~50mph, 'merican friends).

But we were on our way.

B: North Bay, ON - Friday/Saturday, 22/23-Feb

We pulled into North Bay at 1430h (Eastern Time) on Friday afternoon and quickly found a near-deserted Comfort Inn to rest our weary bones and order a pizza.

The front desk staff were friendly, helpful and courteous. They made sure we had a drive-up room so we could easily take the dog out as well as keep an eye on all of our worldly possessions in & on the truck. Sleep came easy that night.

Total travel time, Fredericton - North Bay: 18 hours. I made the same trip in the same truck (with a different dog & a lot less stuff) solo back in '06; it took me 14 hours...and a lot less gas. I did have an hour-long nap at a highway rest stop on this trip, however; thus making the title of this post an outright lie.

C: Thunder Bay, ON - Saturday/Sunday, 23/24-Feb

We set out on the big portion of the never-ending trek through Northern Ontario, or Nontario, as I like to call it. It doesn't seem like the Ontario of Toronto & vicinity, who give the rest of Ontario a bad name.

Nontario seemed a lot more inhabited than in Ought-Six; I distinctly remember thinking if I were to become stranded I'd have to eat my former project manager's black lab back then. I didn't have that feeling this time.

In fact, there was a lot of traffic, which sucked at times: there were not many places to pass transport trucks, and it meant using a lot of windshield wiper fluid.

We checked into another Comfort Inn at ~2200h. The free wifi & continental breakfasts are solid, though this particular one charged for Awesome staying in the room. Front desk staff was also friendly & helpful here, too.

Before bedtime, we decided it'd be most appropriate to stop at the Terry Fox Memorial in the morning. I'm glad we did.

Non-Canadians: click here for more on Terry Fox.

Canadians not knowing who Terry Fox is: Leave now. Get on an ice floe, push off and float away in a slow, southerly route. Far from shore. I don't want you here.

Total travel time, North Bay to Thunder Bay: 13 hours and change. This is where the comparisons between 2006 & 2013 should stop; in '06 Thunder Bay was a gas/coffee/bathroom stop, and I kept going...right through to Saskatoon...

D: Regina, SK - Sunday/Monday, 24/25-Feb

After paying respects to the Terry Fox Memorial east of Thunder Bay, we once again pointed west and were off.

Today was to be a wildcard day of driving: if we made it past Winnipeg, I'd be happy. Any further than that would be a bonus. We just wanted to be out of Ontario and eventually, we were: we made it into Manitoba.

High-level negotiations between driver & passenger carried on throughout the day to determine how far and how long we would go into the night. The driver (me) was feeling pretty good: alert, not stiff and well-rested. The passenger, unfortunately, was not.

Compromises were made, and a (rough) plan hatched: stop for the night in Brandon, MB; then take a short driving day the next day to rest our weary souls and bones. The passenger dozed off, and I pushed through to Regina, Saskatchewan. Bam.

We stayed at (another) Comfort Inn in Regina. The bag o' douche at the front desk gave me the "we have a room available" routine, as if to imply there was one and only one room available, and it was going to be expensive...in terms of the Comfort Inn. I didn't give a rat's ass whether it was $89 or $129, I just wanted a bed.

Then I almost broke my neck in the icy parking lot while outside with the dog, which endeared all-things-Saskatchewan to me even further.

Total travel time, Thunder Bay to Regina: Seventeen-ish hours. We stopped for a 'fancy' lunch in Dryden, ON, the birthplace of Chris Pronger...if anyone cares...

Fun fact: once crossing the border into Manitoba, I set my cruise control for ~105km/h (65mph) and didn't accelerate or decelerate from that speed for about an hour and forty minutes. Love the Prairie Provinces.

PS - Comfort Inn, Regina: eat a dick.

E: Medicine Hat, AB - Monday/Tuesday, 25/26-Feb

As agreed to during high-level negotiations of the previous day, this was our short day. A half-day...or more like a third-day, by the rate we had been travelling.

After a lazy start to the day, we made it into Alberta and checked into a nice Best Western in Medicine Hat by mid-afternoon.

Pizza was ordered, sleep was had.

Which is good, because the mountains were coming at us fast...

Total travel time, Regina to Medicine Hat: Five hours. If only all the days were like that.

F. Chilliwack, BC - Tuesday/Wednesday, 26/27-Feb

The day started ominously: at the first intersection of the morning, I needed to pop the truck into four wheel drive in order to move at the green light.

As y'all can imagine, I had been paying attention to the weather for days leading up to and throughout the trip. Our drive from Fredericton and through Quebec was a precision-timed masterpiece, avoiding storms by mere hours ahead of us and behind us.

I knew weather would be touch-and-go for the first two hours out of Medicine Hat but with minimal snow accumulation and no chance of freezing rain. And once we were past Calgary, it would be clear skies for much of the day through the mountains...but I also knew it wouldn't last for long: bad weather was a-brewin'.

I'll tell this part of the journey through Twitter:

Alas, it wasn't all rainbows & unicorns on this last big day of driving: I had a solid forty minutes of white-knuckled, butt-puckering, scary-ass driving on the Coquihalla Pass¹.

This was the worse part of the entire trip. I hated it, while my lovely passenger slept soundly through it all. I'm sure she still doesn't believe there were snowbanks towering over the truck (there were) with three feet of snow on the road at the summit (more like three inches).

But two lengthy Matthew Good songs² later, we were out of the mountains and into a light, mild³ rain.

We stayed at another Comfort Inn. Not as good as the Comfort Inns of Ontario, but a zillion times better than that shithead Comfort Inn of Regina.

I didn't sleep well as I was constantly checking on the truck. When I first moved to Vancouver in '06, some dick smashed my driver's side door window, probably to see if the newly-landed New Brunswicker left anything of value in the truck. He got thirty-seven cents; I got a $345 repair bill.

As we say back east, the bastards would steal Christ from the cross and go back for the nails. Fuckers.

¹ - just pronounce it Coca Cola Pass and you'll be fine.

² - like this one and this one (they're worth a listen. Right now. Go ahead).

³ - mild by Canadian standards, as in, it was 6°C (43°F). Goddamned tropical by eastern Canadian in February standards.

Total travel time, Medicine Hat to Chilliwack: Fifteen hours or so. We stopped in Canmore for lunch and in Kamloops for an extended dog-walk. Plus the whole snowpocalypse on the Coca Cola Highway slowed things down...

G: Comox Valley, BC - Wednesday, 27-Feb.

Nothing much to report on this part of the journey, except we finished it. Anticlimactic, isn't it?

We were on the road by 0800h (Pacific Time) with a quick Starbucks Coffee from beside the motel, and efficient use of the carpool lane through the Lower Mainland to North Vancouver to make it onto the 1030h ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo.

I had a huge breakfast on the ferry for not that much money and we chilled out for the ride; happy to be out of the truck while making forward progress.

Once on Vancouver Island, the goal line was in sight. We pulled into the Safeway in Courtenay around 1330h to grab a few groceries, and we were off to check into our seaside cottage hideaway.

We were asleep for the night by 1630h. Pacific time.

Total travel time, Chilliwack to Comox Valley: about five hours, with 70 minutes spent waiting to load on the ferry and almost two hours on the ferry.

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Be sure to follow along with my Instagram feed for pics chronicling my adventure in a new land (and pics of Awesome the Dog, too).

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Westward

Coming to a Western Province near you.

Just don't ask me how the gas mileage is.

Counting down

Much like a child awaiting the arrival of Christmas morning, I'm counting down the days.

There's slightly more than two weeks left to go for me on this project; once I arrive home, I'll be taking a break from work for six to eight weeks. Note I've omitted placing the words 'much needed' prior to 'break.' This past week is the first I've worked since leaving here on December 18th; I won't try to convince you I have it that rough...though the chaps in the picture above (part of my security detail) might suggest otherwise.

After arriving home in February, my lovely girlfriend and I will spend the next week sorting our belongings and packing what won't be sold, donated or tossed. Frantically, I might add.

I'll be attempting to replicate the packing abilities of minibus drivers seen here in West Africa, with assorted baggage, bicycle and fishing kayak towering several feet over the height of my truck's roof.

I'll admit I'm looking forward to this.

A lot, I might add, because it's just another step closer to us getting on the road to our new adventures on Vancouver Island.

And that's what I'm really looking forward to.

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Here are a few Vancouver Island beach flies I've tied for coho & pink salmon.

All are variants on fairly well-known (locally, at least) Pacific NW salt patterns. Changes to the original fly recipes were made not to add in a 'creative touch' but due to lack of availability of the originally-listed tying materials.

Ferguson Green and Silver

Pink and blue Handlebars

Cathy's Coat (or Kathy's Koat) variant

Bead-head Handlebars

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East, then west.

If things had gone to plan, I'd be sitting in an airport right now, bound for a return trip to Africa.

But for various reasons, most of which weren't confirmed until yesterday afternoon, I'm tapping away at my desk instead. This, in my mind, is not a bad thing.

Time > Money. Don't ever forget that, kids.

— Mat Trevors (@mattrevors) January 11, 2013

I like my work all fine & good, but an extra week at home is appreciated. Even if it means a 33°C temperature difference.

Note: It's an unseasonably mild day here in New Brunswick. Had I written this earlier this week or last week, that temperature difference would be more like 48°C. For my 'merican cousins, that's the difference between 81°F and -5°F.

So if things go to plan (version 2.0), I'll be sitting in an airport or on a plane next Saturday, bound for a return trip to Africa.

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If any of you follow along with my dribble on Twitter and Instagram, you're probably all aware of our plans of relocating. But in case you missed it, here it is: after I escape the clutches of work in Africa, we're moving to Vancouver Island.

We'll be doing our best Beverley Hillbillies impersonation with our moving truck, which may be familiar to car manufacturers, dealers and me as my 2003 Ford Sport Trac.

Valuables that can't be left behind & must be loaded on the truck include my Chupacabra kayak, fishing & tying gear, my bike, my lovely girlfriend's ever-growing book collection, as well as numerous personal & kitchen effects, including my various coffee snob paraphernalia.

And we mustn't forget Awesome the Dog and his crate, too.

After we pile a small U-Haul truck's worth of gear in and on a small truck, we'll then drive from the eastern side to the western side of the world's second largest country in February, known to some as 'winter.'

We're making the move for a number of reasons, but is best summarized by these two reasons:

• I'm on a mission to bridge the divide between the East Coast and West Coast rap scenes, and to prevent any escalating violence while promoting a confluence of the ideals and creativity of hip hop and rap from both coasts*. 
• My lovely girlfriend, Awesome the Dog, and I all absolutely hate winter. And both my lovely girlfriend and I would like a change in scenery, at least temporarily. Awesome is unable to communicate whether he wants a change in scenery as well, though. 

Note: The twelve months of fishing Vancouver Island provides, as opposed to six months of fishing here, has absolutely nothing* to with the decision.

* - Denotes a blatant lies, also known as a 'fibs.'

Follow along on this farcical adventure, complete with tweets of frustration and photographs of triumph and/or disaster on the aforementioned Twitter and Instagram, as well as here on mattrevors.com, in February, 2013.

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Enjoy a tune:

Don't see a video above this? Click here to view the full post.

Traveling Angler Tuesday: 10 DIY Tips from Cod

Mista Cod, he of the Chronicles of Cod fame, takes being a Traveling Angler to a whole new level.

Last winter he undertook this epic adventure: 

• drove from Calgary to Houston, flew to Belize & fished permit; 
• flew back to Houston and camped on the Gulf Coast to chase reds; 
• drove from Texas to San Diego and then down the Baja to camp and fish for roosterfish;
• drove back to Calgary, but stopped along the way to pop over to Cuba for a week-long liveaboard  trip.

Needless to say, when he offers up some advice on fly fishing travel, it might be good to pay attention.

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COD'S 10 TIPS FOR DIY FLY FISHING TRIPS 

(not necessarily in order)

10. Use all available resources

Use Google Earth, fly shops, maps, tourist information kiosks - Lonely Planet books are bad ass - every bit of info you collect is good. Sometimes you have to filter through a lot of it to get good stuff but keeping your ear to the ground and at least humour every lead; it can sometimes help you.

9. Observe 

Watch what others are doing. This is a great source of information that's so easy to obtain. If others are catching and you are not, watch what they are doing. It's there for the taking. 

8. Don't beat yourself up 

If the conditions are screwed, if there are no fish around, if you're getting frustrated: take a day off or an afternoon or whatever. If you have time, take a break or a nap. It gives you a chance to mentally recharge. It allows you to add some depth to your trip, learn some new shit, or just generally relax.  

Don't beat yourself up, it's fishing and you are supposed to be enjoying yourself.

7. Follow your gut 

This can save you a lot of grief. Whether it's a road, path, area, or tingling spidey sense, if shit don't seem right...it likely isn't!!  Sometimes you get shit info. If you don't think fish are there, don't like where you are, or just aren't feeling it: make changes! 

I am a firm believer in fishing with confidence; when you do this everything leans a little in your favour.

6. Patience

Super important. "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it." We have all heard this statement before. Achieving hard shit is cool. 

Spin fishing, on a whole, is way more productive than fly fishing; why don't I just huck bait? Not gonna happen. You have taken it upon yourself to "DO IT YOURSELF." Expect a learning curve and be patient. Don't focus on what you're not doing, rather make note of the things you are learning and getting better at.

5. Network 

Hang out in fly shops, at boat launches and places where fisherman congregate. Talk to people, tell them what you're there doing. You'd be surprised of the number of people you can meet and the great info you can find out just by chatting with other fishermen.

4. Know your enemy

Going into the unknown is an often daunting task. If it's a new fish you're targeting, try to get some background info on them; e.g., flies, tides, diet, size or techniques. 

Bring tying material if possible; sometimes you show up with the wrong stuff. It's nice to have the option of spinning up some new bugs. It's a good confidence builder and it adds depth to your trip.

3. Set realistic goals 

The chances of you showing up and shit-canning the fish that you're after are slim to none. Set realistic goals ("I hope I get an eat" or "I hope I can catch a decent one.") 

Don't be disappointed if you don't achieve your goals. Look for the positive: maybe you thought your vision got a bit better or you figured out something that made you cast a little better in the wind. 

If you've never been there or done it before, what makes you think you're gonna whack 'em??

2. Be flexible

When you do things on your own, you need to be a little more flexible than on a guided trip. Expect to fish less, explore more, have more down time, make mistakes, and fumble the ball more generally speaking.  

You might have a few wild goose chases, expect them. That's all part of DIY fishing: embrace it. Thats what makes it awesome and rewarding. You figured it out. Not your guide. Not your local buddy. It's then truly your fish.

1. Time or money

Many people have one of these. Very few have both. Make an honest decision which one you have.

If you only have a few days, or a week, then maybe a guided trip makes more sense. 

If you've got no dough but spare time, do it on the cheap: go longer and expect your pitfalls due to inexperience. 

I justify extended trips by telling myself, "It cost so much to get here, I might as well stay longer." I prefer to have time on my side as opposed to money when it comes to DIY. 

For example, weather can shut you down. If you go on the week with crap weather, your fishing will likely be the shits. If you're there for three weeks instead, you'll likely encounter good conditions at some point. 

Sometimes shit just takes awhile to figure out, too.

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Thanks for taking the time to write this up, AC! 

Be sure to follow Cod's next adventure over at Chronicles of Cod. 

He can be hit up via Twitter at @chroniclesofcod

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Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips from the Traveling Angler Tuesdays series, click here.

Why bother leaving the house?

I made my escape from Africa this past week, arriving home on Tuesday night. I'll be writing a little somethin' up about the trip & other randomness this weekend.

Meanwhile, broaden your horizons with this video from TED.

Traveling Non-Angler Tuesday

More randomness

It's been a while since I wrote an essay of complete random bullshit, and, since I haven't posted here on ten or so days, now's as good as time as any.

1) Niger
Yes, Niger (not Nigeria. Two different places).

I'm going to Niger tomorrow for three weeks or so (and possibly again in January).

Hopefully I won't land what Bjorn called a grand slam of dysentery, malaria and getting kidnapped.

I will have internet access but have no idea of the workload as of yet, so posts may be sporadic. Well, more sporadic than usual...

There's no fishing there, which really doesn't help me write content for Traveling Angler Tuesdays.

Which brings us to...

2) Traveling Angler Tuesdays
Traveling Angler Tuesdays might be placed on hold for a little while.

I have no fishing trips planned or schemed (but some are dreamed). I am working on a few subjects for upcoming posts (doing liveaboard/mothership trips, using booking agents, etc.) and I was hoping for a few guest posts from other Traveling Anglers I was in touch with, but for now, this Traveling Angler isn't doing too much angling.

If anyone would like to contribute a guest post with how-to's or other fine points of being a Traveling Angler, by all means, get in touch, but I'm not chasing people down.

Trying to track down fishing addicts to write something is like herding cats, for f** all.

Not that I blame them. I'd rather be fishing, too. I'll always be a fisherman that writes, not a writer that fishes.

3) Pic of me with the best Key Lime pie ever

I'd shoot someone for a piece of that Key Lime pie right about now.

And that, folks, is why gun laws are tight in Canada. We'd shoot people over pie.

But not dog shit. Never dog shit. That's just irrational.

4) International Fly Tying Symposium
Last weekend I was in Somerset, New Jersey for the tying symposium; my first 'official duty' as Clear Cure Goo's writer-not-in-residence. I had a blast meeting a lot of folks that I had only spoke with via Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Skype up until that point.

I understand turnout was a little down this year; a lot of that had to do with people dealing with the aftereffects of Hurricane Sandy.

Thanks to Brian of CCG for letting me tag along and to everyone for stopping by the CCG booth to say hi. It was great meeting y'all.

Note: I'll probably write a little more about the IFTS on the Clear Cure Blog soon, so keep your eyes peeled for it over there. 

5) Being sick sucks hole.
Honestly, I've been having my ass kicked by a cold/flu since the tying symposium in NJ, so I haven't been posting too much here, there, or anywhere else for that matter.

I've been combining various elixirs and concoctions for the last few days. The congestion remains...but I seemed to have made a new friend that appears after certain medications have been mixed together:

As I'm 28 hours away from boarding multiple tin-pigeons (with their healthy recycled air) for the better part of a day and a half, I'm hoping adding some Buckley's flu medication into the mix finally knocks this bastard down the basement stairs for good.

I'd like to take the elephant with me to Niger, though...

6) Being sick isn't the only excuse, though...
As I wrote many weeks back, I've been using my side project, The Saltwater Fly Journal, to share a lot of content that previously would have been posted here. Stuff like this. And this. And this, too. So sign up for email/RSS updates (right hand sidebar, underneath the Redington banner) so you don't miss anything awesome on The Saltwater Fly Journal.

Because someday, there will be awesome stuff there. Trust me.

7) The following people/blogs need to keep doing what they're doing...
...because it's damn good:

• Warmwater Chronicles
• Smallmouth Fly Box
• Pine Island Angler
• Stream2Stream
• Chi Wulff
• Salt 396
• and many, many more...

8) Some people just don't get it.

"Kramer goes to a Fantasy camp? His whole life is a fantasy camp! People should plunk down $2,000 to live like him for a week." George Costanza

Someone recently referenced that quote while talking to me about my life. Some days I think it it's bang-on.

But that particular day I just purchased this to keep strapped to my body 24/7 in Niger.

Fantasy camp, my ass...

9) I love this website.
I like to mix it up once in a while here: fly fishing and lifestyle.

That lifestyle probably doesn't jive for the majority (go back to 1) and 8) on this list) but I'm sure two or three of you are interested in it a little bit.

Oh, that link might be classified as NSFW and/or the kids. There's a lot of swears in there.

My apartment is in a state of flux right now. I call it controlled chaos. The clutter and squalor quotients are kept to a minimum, at least. The kayak, fishing gear and all the fly tying materials in the living lend a certain loveable ambience to the place.

UFYH gives a much-needed dose of reality to the realm of cleaning & organizing: cleaning sucks, but it needs to be done (for advanced level reality, give this guy a read...if you can handle it)

It's a good site to read when things get out of control.

10) The new James Bond...
...was ok. It was no Avengers, by any stretch, but it was good.

11) Music for your playlist
A few tracks I've been listening to recently, give 'em a listen:

(Can't see the videos above? Click here to view the full post)

Things of Three VIII

The eighth edition of three items/subjects/places/people worth checking out to make life as an angler and global citizen far more enjoyable.

1. TFM interviewed on Itinerant Angler
Glass guru Cameron Mortenson of the Fiberglass Manifesto spoke with Zach Matthews on the Itinerant Angler podcast the other day, sharing his insights on current trends in the world of modern fiberglass rods.

The discussion ranged from a who's who of modern glass rod builders to the feel of casting slower action rods. The podcast is a great listen; Cameron really knows his stuff.

Since following along to Cameron's glass sermons over the past couple of years, I've dipped my toe into the shallow end of the fiberglass pool. The 7/8wt Cabela's CGR ended up as one of my favourite rods, and I've dusted off my dad's old Shakespeare two-piece rod a few times. They're fun to cast, and playing a 2lb smallmouth on them is a near religious experience.

Though not a devout glass disciple, I've discovered my casting style and technique (or lack thereof) is better suited to slower action rods, and have since adjusted my rod quiver accordingly. Gone are a couple super-fast action rods (eg, TFO's Axiom). Another lightsaber has found a home with me: a new 7wt Redington CPX (I now own the CPX in 7, 8 and 10wts). Casting the fiberglass rods helped me determine what works best for me, and the slightly-slower action of the CPX is it...it just took a few other 7wt rods to figure that out.

If you haven't taken a glass rod for a spin yet, I recommend it. There's a rod loan program over at TFM to give you a chance to demo a few. It's worth looking into.

Listen to Cameron on the Itinerant Angler podcast here, and visit The Fiberglass Manifesto website to get your inner glass geek on.

2. Google Nexus 7
You might recall me singing the praises of my iPod Touch in previous posts. And while I still believe it's a amazingly useful device for communicating, snapping pictures and listening to music (especially when traveling light), the Nexus 7 otherwise blows it out of the water.

With a 7" screen and larger touchscreen keypad (equipped with Swype), it's far easier for reading and typing content, and videos can be watched without holding the device 4.5" from your face. Synced with my Google account, it has everything I need (email, calendar, contacts, etc) for my jet-setting ways.

The Nexus 7 is also far more comfortable to read my ever-expanding ebook library than my iPod Touch, and the screen allows me to read with the lights off, unlike the Kobo e-reader. As both Kindle and Kobo have Android apps, I'm able to keep both libraries on one device. Brilliant.

Am I retiring the iPod Touch? Hell no. I'm still a big fan of Apple products. But it's a lot easier on my brain traveling with the Nexus 7 & iPod instead of my MacBook Air, which remains my HQ for all things Mat in the digital world.

And another bonus: it's far, far cheaper than an iPad. I wouldn't own a tablet if the Nexus 7 wasn't the price it is ($250 for 16gb model).

Web: google.com/nexus/7/

3. The (updated) Saltwater Fly Journal
Blatant self-promotion? You bet.

But a couple evenings of sleeplessness from jet lag brought some flashy renovations to my little side project, The Saltwater Fly Journal.

Gone is the plain-Jane minimalist look. A flashy header pic and a few coloured fonts later and I'm ready to take on Midcurrent*!

* - No I'm not.

Though still existing as an aggregator of news, videos and info from the salty realm for now, I'm excited about putting more effort into the Saltwater Fly Journal. Expect content about community supported fisheries and eating seafood to accompany the usual fare of saltwater fishporn, gear and fly tying. And yes, there will be some original content in there, too...eventually.

Note - Don't fear, for the rambling bullshit that you've been used to seeing for nigh onto 270 posts will continue here on mattrevors.com.

I'd be pumped if you clicked over and checked out The (new) Saltwater Fly Journal.

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Who's in?

(click image to go to the Tying Symposium's website)

I'll be the at the symposium this weekend, hanging around the Clear Cure Goo booth (trying to be helpful, a.k.a., not a nuisance).

Stop by to say hi to Brian & I if you're in the neighbourhood!

Traveling Angler Tuesdays: Global Rescue

When one travels off the beaten path in pursuit of fish or other adventures (or for work), it's always good to plan ahead about how you're getting home in the worse case scenario.

Since my first trip to West Africa in 2010, my plan has involved forking some cash over to become a member of Global Rescue.

With different membership plans and options available, Global Rescue provides emergency response services in case of medical or security risks to their members.

Because of the nature of my travel, I have both the medical and security plans that cover me for up to 90 days out of my home province at a time (I added the security package once I found out the location of my next assignment). 

It works out to be about $55/month for this coverage. I consider it an extremely good investment.

Note: The company I'm (loosely) attached to has a contract with International SOS, which I have access to, but I pay extra for Global Rescue out of my own pocket. That says something right there, huh?

Coincidently (and conveniently), an email update from Angling Trade arrived while I was writing the draft of this today, with a little blurb about Global Rescue. It involves an experience Jim Klug of Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures had on one of his many travels, resulting in Global Rescue getting a call. You can read about it here.

You can also read more about Global rescue in this article from Outside Magazine here.

Oh, if I'm not cool enough to review & recommend Global Rescue, these guys might be sufficiently cooler.

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Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.

Traveling Angler Tuesdays: The Charleston Five

My lovely girlfriend and I went on an epic road trip a few months back and we ended up in lovely, historic Charleston, SC for five days.

We really loved it: the food, hospitality and fun were all in abundance.

There's something special about historical port cities and towns. They give me a good feeling. Halifax, St. John's (Newfoundland), Seattle, Montreal, Portland (Maine), Vancouver, Belfast (Maine) and Charleston have each given me that vibe over the years. I can't put my finger on it, but part of it is definitely the architecture. Or maybe the fresh sea air. Who knows? I like it though.

Note: Sorry Saint John (New Brunswick), Sydney (Nova Scotia), but you're a little ways off from making this list. Keep chasing that rainbow, though!

Here's my list of five must-sees/dos if you're heading to the Holy City for a visit (plus a bonus tip for affordable accommodations right in the heart of Charleston):

1. South Carolina Aquarium

There's a reason I put this at number one: the SC Aquarium is AWESOME! Snakes, albino alligators, sharks, a big-ass eagle, lots of fish, lots of things to see. Expect to spend a couple of hours wandering around to see everything, but allocate more time if you plan to take in a show at the 4-D Theatre.

Bonus: if you happen to get skunked fishing for redfish, like I did, at least you can see them up close at the Aquarium. Just don't expect to be allowed to grab one for a grip & grin...

Web: scaquarium.org
Location: 100 Aquarium Wharf  Charleston, SC (map)

No hero shots allowed!

2. Sullivan's Island
There's a beach. And there's Fort Moultrie, an old-timey fort in service for over 170 years. Fort Moutrie was manned through many major incidents of modern history, including the Revolutionary War, the 'War of Northern Aggression' and up through World War II.

Sullivan's Island beach. Not Fort Moultrie.

And Sullivan's is also home to Poe's Tavern (more on that below), too.

There's also kite-surfing lessons, which is awesome if you like watching people slam face-first into water and/or sand at high velocities. I know I did.

Location: map

3. Lowcountry Fly Shop
Scotty D and the gang at Lowcountry Fly Shop have an awesome shop & know their shit. Everything you could ask for, for both fresh & saltwater, is at the shop. Loads of tying materials, too.

Lowcountry also runs a guide and charter service. Scotty's a workhorse on the poling platform. He put me into lots of fish, too (I just messed things up a lot). Getting to see a part of the Charleston region from the bow of Scotty's flats boat was a definite highlight of my trip.

Note: Fishing in Charleston? Work on casting short-shots. Seriously. Fifteen to thirty feet. That means five to twenty feet of fly line out of the tip. Choose your rod wisely. I'm already mentally preparing for my return trip. And yes, Charleston reds do seem to be smarter than Louisiana reds...

Pop in for a visit, buy some flies, book a guided trip, ask where to eat/drink...ask if Scotty still has my sneakers...you can do it all at Lowcountry Fly Shop. A mandatory stop for the Traveling Angler whilst in Charleston.

Web: lowcountryflyshop.com
Location: 280 W. Coleman Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC (map)

Big-ass bridge. Scary with a kayak strapped to your roof rack. But Lowcountry Fly Shop is over there...

4. Hominy Grill

I'm not a souvenir guy, but I keep this on my fridge.
That must say something right there.

This was conveniently located around the corner from where we stayed. We ate there twice. We had plans to go again. It was that awesome.

A trip to the South isn't right without eating Southern food. It's truly the food of the angels. Perhaps big-boned angels, but angels nonetheless.

The first meal we had at the Hominy Grill was the big nasty biscuit with fried chicken breast, cheddar cheese and sausage gravy. With grits, cornbread and sweet tea.

If one was to eat Southern-style, it's full-ass or no-ass. And eating that leads down the path to full-ass after a while, I'm certain. It was delicious. My mouth is watering right now.

The second time in, we had breakfast. I was considering the big nasty again (yes, it's on the breakfast menu, too) but opted for the egg biscuit. Something about biscuits in that part of the world really makes sense. With grits on the side, once again.

I like grits. And sweet tea.

Damn it I'm hungry.

Note: I started making grits here. It took a small but coordinated search to find authentic grits in Atlantic Canada, but I did it. That's what I do. I find stuff. I'm good at it, and often receive a substantial sum of money to find stuff. Interested in me finding stuff for you? Hire me. Seriously.

I regret not making the third trip as we were planning to buy the Hominy Grill Recipe Book when we went back...but I just noticed they have recipes on their webpage. Win.

Web: hominygrill.com
Location: 207 Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, SC (map)

5. Poe's Tavern
Located on Sullivan's Island, Poe's Tavern has the best damn fries and burgers we had on our road trip. Bar none. Just go. You won't regret it.

Note: Special thanks to Cameron over at TFM for recommending Poe's Tavern as well as the SC Aquarium for our adventures!

Web: poestavern.com/sullivans-island/
Location: 2210 Middle Street, Sullivan's Island, SC (map)

6. Affordable Accommodations in Historic Charleston (BONUS)
This is your money-saving tip for this post. And a call for people to think about prioritizing when you're on vacation.

Here's an exercise: Go to Expedia and search for hotels in "Historic Charleston."

Spendy, right?

Enter Not-so-Hostel, located walking distance to everything in "Historic Charleston." A private room, shared bathroom and next to the old-timey Southern veranda for sippin' mint juleps. That was mid-summer, I might add.

Note: Hostels, in the eyes of North Americans, get a bad rap, mostly due to the inconsiderate dirtbag hippies. Some people don't like shared bathrooms, either. I say get over yourself. Use the bathroom and get outside to see stuff. And it's funny that many of the same people that bitch & moan about staying in a hostel will also bitch & moan about the high price of a hotel room. Figure your shit out, people.

And I'm not saying all hippies are inconsiderate or dirtbags. I'm saying the inconsiderate dirtbag kind of hippies really ruin a lot of shit (especially if you're in a band and you steal booze from the people who promoted your show...you f**kers know who you are). The extremely condescending "yippies" (hippy + yuppy), typically found wearing Patagonia clothing and driving Subaru Outbacks* are annoying, too, but at least they don't ruin shit like the inconsiderate dirtbag hippy does.

* - I'm considering buying a Subaru Outback, but it's due to mileage/storage/reliability combination. Seriously. How's that for irony? No plans for a Patagonia soft-shell anytime soon, though. But Patagonia does make apparel of excellent quality. Just sayin'.

My girlfriend and I were trying to keep our accommodation costs on this road trip as low as possible. We were aiming for a budgeted cost of $50 per night. We did a few overnight drives ($0/night, except extra coffee/Red Bull), a few nights in campgrounds ($20-$40/night), a few hotels ($109-$145/night) and four nights at the Not-So Hostel in Charleston...at $60/night.

That's not a typo: we spent five days/four nights in Historic Charleston for $240 total, cheaper than many hotels charge per night in the summertime in Chucktown.

A side-benefit of staying at the hostel was being within walking distance of lots of restaurants and activities, so no burning gas while we were there, either.

Wandering around Charleston, eating delicious Southern food, going fishing with Scotty D. seeing the SC Aquarium and the other fun we had wouldn't have been possible if I didn't happen to come across the Not-So Hostel's website. We wouldn't have been able to spend five days in the Holy City at regular hotel rates. The rates are too damn high.

Web: notsohostel.com
Location: 156 Spring Street, Charleston, SC (map)

Fancy hotels are nice, but if it came down to sleeping in a king-size bed or seeing Becky hold a baby alligator...

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Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.

The Saltwater Journal

I am slightly pleased to announce the launch of The Saltwater Journal.

Essentially, it's another website sharing the same damn fishporn, fly tying videos and articles as a half-dozen other websites do.

BUT...

It does have a fine-ass collection of links (here) that will be added to regularly. And it will be a one-stop shop for all things salty.

You might be asking why.

Well, if I don't keep myself occupied with something over the course of this winter, I'm probably going to do something stupid, like drive my truck to Mexico with girlfriend, dog, fishing gear & kayak in tow. The Saltwater Journal (as well as this site) might prevent stupidity from occurring.

Check it out here, but be prepared to waste an hour watching fishporn you've already watched before.

Things of Three IV

The fourth edition of three items/subjects/places/people worth checking out to make life as an angler and global citizen far more enjoyable.

1. Snook
They hit hard. They pull hard. And they look cool as hell.

Note: They're also quite tasty, but they're more fun to catch than to eat.

Photo by Dylan Rose of Fly Water Travel LLC

2. Idaho Angler
There's something to be said about walking into a shop and being recognized from a previous visit almost exactly a year ago to the day.

Friendly, helpful & knowledgeable, plus everything once could need for fishing in Idaho or anywhere else for that matter, including a huge tying section featuring materials for both fresh & salt.

If you're in the Boise area, a visit to Idaho Angler is a must.

Website: idahoangler.com
Social: facebook.com/IdahoAngler
Location: 1682 Vista Avenue  Boise, ID

3. Bonefish on the Brain
Dear Bjorn,

At first, I thought you were a little OCD about having a website dedicated to only one species of fish. Especially a fish living in waters far from your home address. A fish you have only one or maybe a couple of chances per year to go fishing for.

But then I caught one. And I get it now. I really do.

I'm already scheming an escape to catch more.

Sincerely,

Mat

Website: bonefishonthebrain.com

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As some of you might have seen on a recent Facebook post, I'm taking a break from Facebook. This US Presidential election thing is bringing out the worse in some people. These are people I consider friends, either in real life or in the online realm. I respect your right to your opinions but the outright negativity, from both left and right, is depressing as f**k. So yeah, I'm done on Facebook until November 8th or 9th or so (besides, Twitter is far more enjoyable than Facebook).

That being said, y'all should get out and vote. No matter what your political leaning is, exercise your right to vote. Canada had a federal election last year and the turnout was downright dismal. Don't be apathetic; apathy is more depressing than the negative shit. Go vote.

This link will not be shared on the ol' Crackbook by yours truly. If anyone wants to share it, it'd be appreciated, but it's not necessary.

Keep it real.

Mat

Traveling Angler Tuesdays: Seven Sins of Air Travel

A more civilized form of air travel.

In the spirit of 'do onto others' and knowledge-sharing, I give you seven sins of air travel that drive me absolutely bonkers while I'm traveling in tightly-packed tin pigeons.

I don't do these things. Neither should you.

1. Not waiting for row number or section to board.
The mad rush occurring at the gate when the gate agent calls for general boarding is an affront to civilized society.

There is a method to the airline's madness when they ask for rows 21-27 to board. When people in row 17 try to board during this time, it messes up the method.

Wait your turn. The plane will not leave without you.

2. Not waiting your turn to exit.
This comic from The Oatmeal sums it up perfectly.

Click the image or here to view The Oatmeal's original post.

Note: I'm not intending to steal this content from The Oatmeal. The Oatmeal is funny as shit & should be read regularly. I'm hoping my numerous links back to The Oatmeal will absolve any ill-feelings someone might have for my borrowing this. I am but a moronic hack in comparison to the comic genius of The Oatmeal. Read The Oatmeal. All the time. Pre-order the book or buy some artwork or a shirt from The Oatmeal while you're at it. For more awesomeness from The Oatmeal on air travel, click here.

3. It's a touch screen, damn it!
That little entertainment system on the back of the seat in front of you? It's a touch screen.

It's not a "poke screen" or a "push with all your might screen" or a "two finger death jab screen."

Touch screen. As in, lightly place your finger on the selection you wish to make. Leave it there for a second, then remove your finger. That's it.

People are less likely to be beaten with a rolled-up issue of the complimentary in-flight magazine (or Financial Post) if they would adhere to this PSA.

4. Body odour or excessive perfume/cologne.
It should go without saying: people need to have some consideration for the other dozens of people cramped into an aluminum tube.

Don't be smelly.

5. Obnoxious overconsumption of alcohol.
I frequently travel to depressing and isolated places for work, leaving my lovely girlfriend and adorable dog behind for weeks at a time. Or I travel to fun places to fish or for vacation.

If anyone had an excuse to either drown their sorrows or celebrate with alcohol during air travel, it'd be me. But I don't. I drink ginger ale. And coffee. Lots of coffee.

If you need multiple drinks to deal with air travel, you probably feel you need multiple drinks to deal with other things in life. That means you are an alcoholic and require assistance. Visit AA.

Note: to my fellow Atlantic Canadians: YOU are the most frequent people I see being obnoxiously drunk in airports or on planes in my travels. Is Fort Mac not all it's cracked up to be? Straighten your shit out. It's embarrassing.

6. Carrying on way too much shit.
This is extremely inconsiderate to other passengers, and sadly airlines do little to enforce their rules on this.

People need to either pack less or get off their wallets and spend the extra $25 to check a bag.

Stop the madness.

7. Using other seats as pull-up bars or handrails.
This, too, should be fairly self-evident, but it's really not.

People are inconsiderate tools sometimes.

I'll share a story.

Note: Feel free to skip this story if you like. Especially if you don't wish to have your opinion of me changed.

Once upon a time, in a time long ago, I was flying from Montreal to Vancouver.

This flight is pretty much the longest non-stop flight we have in Canada, at about five hours or more.

Picture me sitting in a window seat in economy class, beside two middle-aged ladies from Quebec. Leopard-pattern pants, a zebra-print dress & leather jackets betrayed their cougarness. They scared me a little.

Shortly after the plane took off I put on my noise-cancelling headphones, lowered my hat, and dozed off.

Moments later, I awoke feeling as though a was in a deathly free-fall.

No, the plane wasn't crashing. It was a morbidly-obese man seated behind me, pulling himself up with my seat. Have you ever had a feeling of falling to your death while on the cusp of sleep? It sucks.

As Fatty moved toward the aisle, he grabbed Cougar #1's seat, and a handful of her hair, too. Same for Cougar #2's seat, but she did a preemptive duck to avoid having her hair pulled.

Note: insert your own 'cougars having their hair pulled' joke here, if you like.

The sad thing is, I allowed it to happen again more than once. Fatty was in violation of Pet Peeve #5: he was drinking a few beer but had the bladder of a small girl. Every time he stood up, he grabbed my seat to pull himself up.

Knowing sleep would be unattainable until this situation became remedied, I prepared myself for Fatty's return from his third trip to the lavatory. I requested a Globe and Mail from the flight attendant but received a National Post. I removed the Financial Post section and rolled it up tightly. I folded the tightly-rolled Financial Post in half. I waited.

I had an assumption and a quick glance over my shoulder proved that assumption correct: Fatty was grabbing everyone's seats along the aisle to steady himself as he waddled along. A flight attendant was several rows behind him, collecting empty cups. My timing would have to be perfect.

Clutching the rolled-up Financial Post, I faced forward in my seat but kept Fatty in my peripheral vision. The other passengers in the row behind us got up so he could enter. Fatty grabbed Cougar #2's seat and slid into the row. He pulled himself along the row using Cougar #1's seat. The cougars exchanged a look of displeasure.

Fatty was reaching for my seat when I turned. The flight attendant was four rows back and distracted with a passenger. Perfect.

The split-second Fatty's hand touched my seat to lower himself, I half-spun and rapped his knuckles with the rolled-up Financial Post. Fatty let go and fell backward into his seat with a look of surprise. The flight attendant was three rows back and approaching. She didn't see my clout in the name of justice and humanity.

I dropped the Financial Post in front of my seat to hide it and said firmly, "You have to stop grabbing my fucking seat."

Before he could respond, the flight attended was on the scene. "Is everything ok here?"

"It would be if this gentleman would stop grabbing my seat to pull himself up when he goes to the bathroom every twenty minutes," I calmly replied.

Poor Fatty looked confused as the flight attendant addressed him. "Sir," she said, "please refrain from grabbing the seats of other passengers."

He mumbled an acknowledgement, staring daggers at me. I smirked at him and turned back around. I replaced my noise-cancelling headphones and lowered my hat. The cougars giggled at what just transpired. I dozed until the plane landed in Vancouver.

As I stood to exit the plane, I glanced at Fatty. He had the look of death warmed over; he spent the remainder of the flight coming off of his beer buzz. Perfect.

*          *          *

Did I miss anything? What annoys the shit out of you during air travel? Was I too mean to Fatty?

Hit it up in the comments section.

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Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.

5 Things I Learned in Belize

Here are five things I learned on my trip to Belize last week:

1. Line speed is extremely important.
I knew line speed was important in the salt before leaving, but rarely gave it a second thought...until I was on a pancake flat with a super-spooky school of cruising bones in a very stiff breeze.

We didn't have very many shots in the first two-thirds of the week, and the few shots I did have were exactly as described: cruising fish, long-ish shots, stiff breeze.

Mark my words, bonefish: it'll be a different game the next time I'm around.

Louis and Kent over at Gink & Gasoline frequently post good stuff on this, e.g.:

2. I like eating seafood far more than I ever imagined.

I caught some snapper on a handline off the back of the boat one night with one of the guides. The kitchen staff cleaned them & dressed them up in beer-batter. I topped them with Marie Sharp's and it was heavenly.

And don't even get me started on snook. We had it one night & it was amazing, but they're just too fun to catch to make a habit of eating them. But man, they are delicious. Commence moral dilemma.

Related note: we had caught a couple snook and the guides wanted to keep them. Our boat kept one, and the other boat kept two. I was sort of ok with this. Then I caught a big snook, which they also wanted to keep. I wasn't ok with this. Dylan suggested a picture of it in the water, as I leaned over the gunnel. This photo op was convenient; I 'dropped' the snook, giving it a little shove into the current to help it along. 

3. There's a place for glass & slower action rods in the salt...

...and that place is short-shots, mangroves and docks. 

I brought my CGR 7/8wt with me to Belize, and it really shined for making short shots under branches & in between roots and dock pilings. 

Whether or not the CGR would have the backbone required to yank a decent-sized snook or baby tarpon out of structure remains to be seen: I didn't hook anything on it. But it reinforces my belief that super-fast action rods are not the cat's ass at all times, as I discovered this summer in Charleston.

Note: I would have gladly blown that rod up on a 20lb baby tarpon & replaced it with another. I consider that the price of admission, and better to blow up a $99 rod than a $450 custom-built glass rod, huh?

For more reinforcement on glass in the salt, check out the backcountry fun Dr. Aaron Adams had with glass here on The Fiberglass Manifesto.

Side note: Some day, possibly soon, or maybe next year, I will be actively searching for an 8'-8'6", 4pc 7/8wt glass rod for light salt duty. I believe it would be epic for reds, specs & bones in certain situations. And I want the reel seat to match my Tibor Backcountry, fyi...

4. I am very emotionally-invested in catching fish.

By day four I was getting bummed out.

The trip was awesome, food was delicious, bunks were comfortable, but I wasn't seeing many fish, and the shots I did have weren't easy by any stretch of the imagination. Frustrated would be an understatement.

Side note: I'll mention Dylan, aka the guy who does this for a living, hadn't hooked anything at this point either, so it wasn't totally my incompetent angling skills at play here. Things were friggin' tough.

Fortunately day five turned things around. If it didn't, Dylan would have woken up to the following on day six:

5. i) Loop knots are my favourite knots.
Simple. Elegant. Effective.

5. ii) My Tibor Backcountry is my favourite reel.
Simple. Elegant. Effective.

Gone Fishin'

The last fly of many tied in the past 36 hours to get ready for this adventure.

If taxis, airports & airplanes goes as planned, I'll be on a muthaf**kin' boat in Belize tomorrow afternoon.

Barring any high seas acts of piracy (most likely committed by me), I'll be back in nine or ten days.

It's Friday. Crank this tune up & have a great weekend.

Things of Three

Three items/subjects/places/people worth checking out to make life as an angler and global citizen far more enjoyable:

1. Fish Tales Fly Shop, Calgary, AB
The positive side of getting weathered in at the project site in Nunavut last week is getting to meet Matlock (aka @findeep) for a quick fish on Alberta's Bow River and going for sushi with him & Cod (@chroniclesofcod) during a seven-hour layover. Best layover ever. Wet socks & all.

Matlock picked me up at the airport and we headed to his local fly shop so I could grab a license. The fact they had been closed for about an hour didn't really slow things down much; they unlocked the door and got me set up with both a license and the new issue of The Drake for my flight home.

Fish Tales is a great shop, loads of inventory and run by a seriously kick-ass nice dude. If you're in Calgary, it's worth a stop. And Cod guides outta there, too.

Check 'em out on the web here. For a Google Map, click here.

Supporting your local fly shop isn't a cliché. Try rolling into a BassPro or Canadian Tire to buy a license an hour after they're closed. Yeah, thought so...

2. The Shack Up Sessions
This is Ross Neilsen's new solo album, recorded inside the Robert Clay shack at The Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale Mississippi, just down the road from the famous crossroads of highway 49 and 61.

It's good. Really good.

Ross has been mentioned a few times here, and his music is on my regular rotation of playlists & albums. And for good reason: his songs are at times rocking and whisky-chugging, and always soulful and honest-to-goodness blues.

This album is a little less loud but still everything one could ask for in a blues album.

Ross also had a special message for the fly fishing crowd that reads this: "Keep yer poles bent."

You can preview and download the album here & on iTunes; for a physical copy shipped, click here.

Ross can be reached via his website, rossneilsen.com, and through Twitter, @rossneilsen.

And if this picture doesn't brighten your day, check your pulse.

Ross (right) & Karl's search for a bass player brought interesting characters.

3. William Joseph HemoCuts
One of my favourite fly fishing accessories. Probably one of the best sub-$20 items in the fly fishing industry, in my mind.

Pros: easy to grip, easy to open, pinch barbs up to 1/0 saltwater hooks, cutting blades are sharp, and they lock down tight when shut.

Cons: they don't make a big, eff-off size for toothy/salty critters.

Check 'em out here.

Fishing at 66°N

Frequent high winds kept fishing to a minimum for me here in Nunavut. Maybe an hour or so every few nights from the dock or shore, typically sight-casting to 5-8" grayling with #12-18 dries & nymphs.

It was more practice for Belize (on the extreme small-scale) than it was fishing.

Lake trout were a hard target on the fly rod. For me, anyway. I watched one give one of my white-on-white Clousers a two-second glance before he casually swam on past while I looked on from the dock above. No love.

The one 'laker' I witnessed being caught on a fly was by someone casting for their first time ever, while myself & another part-time fly guide watched, cheered and coaxed him along. A new fly angler was born that night, and I was happy to be a part of it. Welcome to the addiction.

Note: the other guide works at the Location X eluded to in Project Salt.

Pilot graffiti

A few of us managed to weasel a trip in the helicopter for fishing one night. That was cool.

We covered the twenty-odd miles to our first spot in under 10 minutes. Awesome. That location wasn't happening so we flew along the river a couple hundred feet up, scouting for a fishy-looking hole.

Note: Bell 407s are far quicker than any bass boat, flats skiff, jet boat, kayak or truck to hop spots, that is for damn sure.

Our next spot looked far fishier. And it was: I landed a nice grayling of nineteen inches on my first cast. The CGR was the designated hitter on this trip, and the grayling put a most enjoyable bend in the glass. A bend which was compounded by the fast current. Fun times.

I wandered downstream and then upstream of the others, deciding on a perch above the rapid to swing a few different patterns in the current seams. I was trying to find that one lake trout silly enough to get in my species journal. At some point the wind picked up and brought some cold, misty rain but I didn't really notice.

After dozens of casts and a few fly changes, I glanced downriver to check on the others. They weren't there. A quick look over my shoulder told me everything I need to know: the group were standing beside the helicopter, hoods up and hands in pockets against the wind and mist. A couple were looking in my direction. I could read their thoughts: "Hurry the f**k up, you idiot. It's f**king cold!"

I reeled up and strolled over to the waiting group. I told them I had a problem, much like an alcoholic or a druggie.

The first cast is always free, hombre.

Traveling Angler Tuesday: My Must-Haves

Clousers & Deceivers are must-haves

In last week's Traveling Angler Tuesday post, I listed a few of my must-haves for traveling. I decided to take those items and other traveling necessities and compile them into a couple of lists.

I've spilt my must-haves into 'general apparel & accessories' and 'fishing-specific' sublists; this week I'll cover my general category. Fishing-specific items will be covered in a future post...like, next week.

Without further ado, here are my General Apparel and Accessories must-haves for traveling...
(Note: Links to the products will be provided where possible)

Tools of the trade

• iPod Touch (64gb): it does everything an iPhone does (except make/receive calls & texts) with more memory and for less money. I've been traveling with this iPod for almost two years; it's been my camera, atlas, e-reader, music & movie player, video camera, and communications hub. Add a pair of travel-friendly noise-cancelling earbud headphones and you have it made for flights and noisy neighbourhoods (or snoring roommates). It's a full-on mobile command post.
• MSR Packtowel: almost the size of a beach towel, folds to the size of a small paperback novel. It's very quick-drying and an amazing product. I have two of them in different sizes.
• Ex Officio Give-N-Go boxer brief: comfortable, easy to wash, quick drying. Wear a pair, take a pair. Wash them in the shower or sink when needed and they'll be dry within hours. Some day, every pair of underwear I own will be these.
• Smartwool socks: awesome products, and oh so comfortable. I have several pairs of varying weights and it's not often I'll wear anything else. Great to have a pair stashed away even in tropical climates for blister prevention.
• Decent hat. Blocks the sun. Cuts glare on the water. Hides unwashed bed-head. I prefer the mesh-back trucker style as it's a little cooler in warm climates. My current hat is the previous version of this one (gotta support my Southern cousins...)
• Reliable but inexpensive (or inexpensive-looking) watch. You might need to know the time, and hauling out your iPod Touch to check the time in downtown Puerto San Jose or Ouagadougou might not be the wisest choice.
• Pocket tool. This might not be practical if you're not checking any luggage. I'm almost always check luggage, so I bring two: a Gerber Crucial and a Leatherman Wave. If I were to pick only one, the Gerber would make the trip.
• Water bottle. I use Kleen Kanteen, but without the spout (even with water bottles: the more moving parts it has, more likely it will break).
• Packable rain jacket. Buy one of decent quality and it will last for years. I've had one from Marmot for seven years and a full rain suit from MEC for five years; they're both going strong.
• Notebook & pen/pencil. This is a backup in case the iPod battery is dead or dying (or because the traveler is in downtown Puerto San Jose & doesn't want to take their iPod out of their pocket). Jot down directions, contact information, fly patterns to tie or buy, to-do lists, whatever. Just have one.
• Zip-Lock freezer bags (large). Use them to isolate toiletries to keep them from spilling into your luggage. Or to isolate stinky socks & underwear when packing. Transport several pounds of primo Guatemalan coffee beans in them. They're good to have.
• Electrical tape. To tape things shut, like shampoo bottles or bandages to open wounds. Or tape things together, like a tube for a 3-piece glass rod to a case for 4-piece rods, so you only have 'one' carry-on item.
• Gum. Minty stuff to freshen your breath. The Traveling Angler might not have a chance to brush their teeth for a little while.
• A good playlist...or three. Have a playlist for chilling out or falling asleep to on noisy planes, buses, in dorms or whatever. Have another one for fun times, with shitty music you might not normally listen to, because you never know when you'll be called upon to supply the party music (Jay-Z albums are pretty good for this). And have another one of your favourite tracks or genre to sing along to that allows you to do whatever you need to do. Like drive for 26 hours straight. This is a good track for that right here:

Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.

Disclaimer
The products mentioned in this article were bought and paid for by the author, Mat Trevors. 

I, Mat Trevors, am not sponsored by or associated with any of the companies listed above and am accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for these endorsements. 

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Companies wishing to hire a Writer-Not-In-Residence-But-On-Water can definitely buy my allegiance; however, those companies must be upstanding members of the global community and produce gear of high quality. I can be reached through the Contact Page.

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