The only downside was four 10-hour-days of driving. We drove from [almost] Canada to [almost] Mexico. Once outside of Montana, the scenery quickly changed to monotony. Hundreds of miles of flat white terrain through Idaho. Although not far from the Snake River, we couldn’t see it. Once in Utah and past the reckless insanity of the Salt Lake City freeways, it looked like a scene from The Martian but with snow. I gained four pounds on the trip (less than Paul’s gain while in the UK), and I’m sure most of it was from boredom eating in the car: nuts, seeds, dark chocolate.... We listened to, seemingly endless hours of podcasts. The best were the who-dun-it real crime ones because it was listening to a story unfold. I’d downloaded a John Gierach book before leaving, but the reader was as dull and monotonous as the landscape and we made it only through three chapters. Being lulled to sleep while driving isn’t smart.
Details >
Back in 2021, I wrote a Front Page about a friend from high school with whom I had recently reconnected, who loves to fish. Although he and I were friends in high school, how we missed that we both had a passion for angling to this day still baffles both of us! A couple of weeks ago he texted me, asking if I would help him get set up to learn how to fly fish. Of course, I was more than happy to oblige, but little did I realize how much helping him learn the basics would make me appreciate this 25-year journey that I have been on myself.
Details >
As you will have read yesterday we are trying something different along with the usual YouTube stuff and uploading discussions that might be of interest to someone. I’ve been learning a great deal about Ironman from discussions between a couple of coaches and so when Nick suggested that we try a Zoom session discussing all things including distance casting, I thought it was a great idea.
Details >
Last week I had a great zoom call conversation with Paul, and we discussed quite a lot (2hr 40 minutes worth!) So, I have had to edit It down and turn it into a two part series which I’m sure will be enjoyable to listen to (or not!) It’s about an hour, so it’s worth making a cup of tea, or coffee.
Details >
We are still busy with German guests at farm. I'm taking care of most German groups. Satu take care some other groups and she is also baking... a lot. Every visitor will have kampanisu which is traditional cookie in our area.
So if my written English is not so great, I'm speaking it better. I hope. And also my German is getting better, not really speaking except some basic things and I do know lot of special words around subject. Some German guests says that I have good German, that is not true but my German is easily better than their Finnish. So I win.
Details >
It's been an interesting week of mixed weather, some fishing and a fishing show, which was very interesting. Needless to say, I got plenty of stuff to play with a few things to test over the coming weeks and bought myself plenty of stuff I don't really need.
Details >
And we at Sexyloops know a thing or two about chaos. It is what we do best.
Today was supposed to be an excellent interview between Nick and myself. We are not sure who is interviewing who. See? Chaos!
Details >
Today I’m supposed to be uploading another exciting flycasting exercise. However I’m on my weekly supplies run. Hopefully I’ll be back in time to film and upload this video before dark!
Details >
One of the less glamorous parts of running a business is having to deal with past due invoices. I had several outstanding, and had been promised payment for the last week or two. When I checked the mail last week, thankfully all the payments were there. However, there' was something else in the mail that I was not expecting!
Details >
Last week’s plan to have a robot write the front page for me was, as I’m sure you’ll agree, a bit of a failure (I notice Walter had similar issues yesterday). That’s a bit of a pity as I’m currently sat here longing to crack open a bottle of red, but instead I need to write something hopefully interesting, but at the very least coherent (to be fair the coherency limit is probably deep into the bourbon that I’ll be following up with). Thinking about the response I received from ChatGPT it was obvious that the term ‘five weight distance’ had pickled its microchip brain so I thought I’d give it chance to redeem itself with an easier question. As such, I asked it ‘how do I fly cast further’ – surely with the wisdom of the whole of the World Wide Web at its disposal our AI robotic would nail it with some useful information:
Details >
Walter send me this FP :)))
“Here is what chatgpt wrote as a front page:”
Details >
When I was younger I use to ski quite a lot. When I was child we had local competition each year and I was mostly second or third on my age class. As teenager I was competing in biathlon also. Biathlon was better sport for me because I was (and still am) a good in shooting, which is also important in biathlon. Cross country skiing is something we do in school here in Finland. And often it kills your desire for that at same time.
Details >
Last Thursday while I was waiting to cross the road in snowy Tokyo a madwoman hit me on her bicycle. There were no really serious injuries, but my shoulder and back were pretty sore and stiff, so I didn't fish this week. I wasn't overly distressed because conditions weren't great on my days off, but still..
Details >
I counted yesterday that Lee is currently building 9 Sexyloops custom finished rods, as well as a replacement tip for a HT4 and a replacement section for a Comp 5 – both destined for Australia. That’s going to take us a few weeks to clear. A huge problem at the moment, is that the Post Office has been hit by a cyber attack and isn’t accepting international parcels. We are currently figuring a way around this problem and we should have a couple of these rods sent today (if they weren’t already sent yesterday). We have a few standard rods in stock in the UK, as well as an HT4 here in Malaysia (at least that one is easy to ship!).
Details >
Well actually it’s just one drill which divides into three parts. But it also develops into many other parts as well, as you will see over the next months. I haven’t counted them, but I imagine I use about 60-80 drills in my standard lessons tool box. Possibly more. In short it’s going to be a very busy section on Sexyloops. And quite fun to do – if I can avoid backcasting into stumps. :D
Details >
In the vise this week, we have another of JBT's Tarpon patterns, The Apricot & Orange Grizzly.
Details >
Sometimes inspiration for writing these FPs can be hard to find. With Tracy and me working full time often our weeks are pretty dull; in fact when she was away on a business trip recently I realised that I hadn’t even unlocked the front door for 3 days, let alone gone out to do anything. As such, I could write about pantomime casting with a wooden spoon but I’m not sure I could stretch it out to a full page. Actually, next week I might whittle my own stirrer – that way I could at least describe the manufacturing process.
Details >
I can only assume that the Bee Dance, upon finding my socks, is the most captivating and exhilarating dance of all. “You won’t believe it fellas” – while wiggling its bum and shaking its 6 legs around in a frenzy - “I’ve struck GOLD!!!” – bee head banging – “Quick go to the boat that looks like a Battleship; just avoid the sleeping Yeti” – midair cartwheels. And before you know it, a hundred bees are in my boat going nuts.
Details >
I have seen few times past week how people use nitrile gloves when handling a fish. Those posts have pop up on my facebook in certain fly fishing group. I just don't know or understand why use those. Of course if you are badly allergic to fish then it is okay, otherwise I don't see the point.
Details >
The good weather continues here, there's hardly been a cloud in the sky since the storms a few weeks ago. So I've been psychologically unable to start fishing for smallmouth, or even take a night on the seabass. The sight fishing conditions have just been too good.
Details >
Wheelbarrows are useful for transporting things, just like a few weeks ago when I brought everything but the kitchen sink to Paul’s! This seems to have stuck now, and it made me think about how much equipment I take on practice sessions.
Details >
For a while now I’ve been planning to upload a series of videos on training drills and exercises. There is an interesting distinction between these two things, despite us often appear to use the terms somewhat interchangeably. I think of a drill as being a task set to hone a specific movement or series of movements. Whereas I think of an exercise as a training game used to develop and hone actual fishing casts. But that’s just me and it will be interesting to see what other instructors /coaches think. I’m certainly open to suggestions and the Internet often produces a wide variety of usually conflicting answers to this question!
Details >
During my tenure as a Front Page writer for Sexyloops, I have alluded on numerous occasions to my fascination with surfing and surf culture. You would think that being so close to the Gulf Coast, that I would have taken a stab at riding a few waves....and back in the 90's I actually did just that. In the interest of full disclosure, most of my wave riding pursuits were on the more user friendly bodyboard. But, as any wave riding Texan will tell you, this is not the ideal place to entertain a passion for proper surfing. To illustrate this fact, many years ago while on a fishing trip in Galveston Tx. I once saw a mural spray painted graffiti style on the side of a building next to a popular local surf spot that read "GET DESPERATE, SURF GALVESTON". No more needs to be said....
Details >
As James mentioned last week, we have commenced with our casting practice in readiness for the many competitions we will enter this year. I am quite pleased with my casting as I seem to have started well though I do have some technique improvements I need to make. One of these improvements involves bending my back to gain more drift that I am typically known for; though getting older makes this more tricky and from my recent practice sessions, I am finding it a little painful. I have started reviewing my pilates book to determine which exercises are more suitable to strengthening my lower back and sides. I already do yoga and other exercises, however I am expecting pilates to be more fruitful in helping my flexibility. I’m not really sure what the difference is between yoga and pilates as the movements seem very similar; I assume pilates just doesn’t have the mumbo-jumbo stuff attached to it…
Details >
This is an important year for Sexyloops and we turn 25 on September 22nd. The next big planned event will be in another 25 years and who knows where that one will be held, so it’s a great idea to attend this one. It will be held here in Malaysia on 23rd and 24th of September.
Also I plan to run a few courses here in Belum/Temenggor this year. An Intermediate/Advanced flycasting course as well as Learn to Fly Fish Weekends.
Details >
It is only 4 months and fishing season will start again. Two busy months ahead with reindeers and sleigh rides. Then it will be slowing down April, we are planning ice fishing trip for that.
Details >
I had some great carping this week now the rivers have cleared and the sun's come out. It's still freezing cold and there's still the odd bit of ice on the river at lunch time, but the fish are eating.
Details >
Carol has been writing excellent front pages, and I really do enjoy reading them! This week I am filling in for her, but what should I write about? That is a very good question, as I had a good start to the year.
Details >
.jpg "Size Has A Quality All Of Its Own")
