Monthly Archives: April 2013

Why Wilderness Fly-Fishing?

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“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot” – Aldo Leopold.

Why immerse ourselves in Alaska’s wild landscape, and explore the untamed rivers? Why fish and camp far beyond motorized transport? Partly because we are looking for better fishing than we would find near the lodges. But perhaps, we seek something more through our fly-fishing passion than a day trip provides or than a trophy fish in a photograph could recall. Author Paul Brooks said in Roadless Area, “In every Wilderness trip there comes a moment of awareness, a sudden sense that you are there.” He described a deepening feeling of connection to nature after he and his wife had put three or four canoe portages between them and the last settlement. Do some of us need to immerse ourselves for longer periods in wilder places, not only for the fishing, but for other reasons too?

Once we’ve been dropped of in the Bristol Bay Wilderness, we are certain of several things. Our raft will certainly pass through a vast, post-glacial landscape. Between casts, we will wade in the clean cold water noticing grizzly bear tracks and salmon carcasses scattered about. We will walk downstream re-casting the fly, watching the drift, mending the line, and retrieve. Gusts of wind coursing across the tundra will blow our mental clutter away, making us focus on the fundamentals of our sport. The Arctic Tern will dive in front of the raft, emerging while dripping beads of water, with a sockeye smolt in her blood red bill. The passage of the cloud shadows on the tundra will create dramatic light. And, perhaps, let come the realization that “I am tremendously grateful to be here at this exact moment participating in nature’s great drama.”

Only in Wilderness, can we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the events of these moments are “true”, and not modified by man. There is no detail except our own actions that can be changed to make the moment a more “perfect” experience. If we find fault – it reflects only our human limitations. Perhaps we feel diminished by the weather or nervous about the Brown Bear. Perhaps we fail to land the greatest rainbow trout of our life. Or, it is equally possible that we land the lovely fish and learn about the bear and don’t simply fear it. Perhaps we will adapt our minds to the weather. One thing is certain; when we fly fish in the Bristol Bay Wilderness, we’ll participate in a drama in which man’s role is small in a vast natural world.

Mark Rutherford
1-206-617-9799

Gear Talk – Jackets

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Your fly fishing jacket is more important than beer or duct tape. Welcome to gear talk about jackets worn in the Bristol Bay, Alaska.  You can cut corners to save money to make your fly fishing trip affordable, but there are three places you don’t scrimp. 1. Do not hire an inexperienced floatplane pilot. 2. Don’t bring worn out waders. And, 3. . . . don’t bring a cruddy jacket!

We depend more on good jackets for our angling success, comfort, and potentially our survival than all the other gear we pack along. Our waterproof jacket combined with breathable waders is more critical than our choice of fly rods or fly selection – more important than which river we select. Our jacket is more important than whether we chose a lodge, a do it yourself trip, or a guided float trip. Our outer layer is our new best friend.

Gore-Tex or equivalent waterproof-breathable jackets define Bristol Bay comfort and safety. Your jacket must absolutely repel wind driven rain, withstand some abrasion, be wind proof, be durable, not leak, and the cuffs and hood must be adjustable. You can use commercial fishermen’s rain jackets to accomplish this with some loss of comfort.

I get asked, “Can Gore-Tex be depended on?” The better manufacturers of waterproof outerwear finally achieved in the 1990’s the promise of “Light & Dry & Breathable” that they began promoting in the 70’s, and failed under field conditions until the 90’s. Yes, Gore-Tex and a few other waterproof-breathable brands (H2NO, eVent) work incredibly well! Bristol Bay guides wear these materials week after week.

Bring the best hooded jacket that you can afford, preferably built of 3-layer fabric. If you are willing to fork out the cash, then consider the Gore Tex or H2NO guide jackets by Simms and Patagonia. They are incredibly well designed to keep you comfortable while casting and have details that restrict rainwater from running into your sleeves. I have personally had positive experiences with the following jackets of 3-layer waterproof-breathables: Simms, Patagonia, Orvis, L.L. Bean, Cabelas, Arcteryx, Cloudveil, Moonstone, Marmot, Mtn Hardwear, & Northface.
These 3 layer Gore-Tex jackets are not cheap but you can expect to wear one for 5 years for rain/wind. And, those jackets marketed as “Mountain Hard Shells” double for winter sports like snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling, etc. I currently wear Patagonia River Salt, Patagonia SST, or the Simms G-4 jackets. They are well designed for fishing in variable weather. The 1 or 2 layer waterproof back packing jackets designed primarily for light-weight and packability do not hold up well in Alaskan field conditions.

Economically there is an argument to be made re: 100% waterproof “commercial duty” rainwear vs. Gore-Tex. A 100% waterproof “commercial fisherman style” rainwear “slicker” by Helly Hansen, Grunden, or similar is highly serviceable costing less than $150 compared to $250+ for Gore Tex. Many Alaskans have proudly worn “Helly Hansen Rainwear” for years and snickered at the fancy Gore-Tex. Try to get a model with adjustable cuffs to keep water from running up your sleeve and a drawstring hood. Whatever you choose – It must absolutely keep you dry! Shop carefully.

If you are bringing a Gore Tex jacket that you’ve worn previously, no matter whether it kept you perfectly dry make sure to re-vitalize its repellency just prior to the trip. The fabric needs to be re treated with DWR (Durable Water Repellant) finish. It makes a huge difference to how efficiently your jacket performs. You are going to be fishing close to the Bering Sea. Think about it. Use ReviveX to restore and enhance repellency. http://www.mcnett.com/ReviveX-Spray-On-Water-Repellent-P316.aspx. See you out there with a smile in rain or shine.