Early Spring in Montana by Jason Renfro

Northern California has received a much-needed wet winter.  While I am grateful for the outlook of a summer and fall that accompanies this more adequate water supply, the blown-out local streams have further limited winter trout options for the wading angler.  I count myself lucky to have recently benefitted from a generous friend and an understanding wife.  I thusly found myself in Southwest Montana for 5 full days of indulging my addiction for fly fishing for trout.  This trip also afforded me the perfect opportunity to break in a recently acquired Burkheimer 489-4 DAL. 

My time in Montana was filled with exceptional fishing, hatching baetis, rising fish and too many delicious cheeseburgers.  I also emerged with an even greater appreciation for my new Burkie.  As an angler and caster who prefers rods with feel and easy loading, I was pleased to find that 489-4 DAL capable of pinpoint accuracy, great delicacy and at the same time, when called upon, line speed to defeat the wind and deliver larger flies.  I am fortunate to have an excessively large quiver of rods, numbering more than I care to admit, but this luxury does not come without hazard.  Deciding which rod to bring to the stream can become a silly, but real dilemma.  The 489-4 DAL has now made that process much easier. 

As my time in Big Sky country came to end, I left with the all too familiar longing to return.  While the quality of fishing plays into that longing, the connection with the natural world, and the rhythm of life it suggests predominate it.  My heart yearns for a life lived simply.  As a twinge of melancholy threatens my return home, I am reminded of an excerpt from a recent book I read: 

“…These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire… yet they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”   - C.S. Lewis

Late Winter Dispatch from Yellowstone Country

By Chris "Grizz" Andelin

The weather has taken a turn for the better here in Henry's Fork country. Old man winter hasn't quite left yet, but he's packing his bags for a holiday in some far off hemisphere, and that's fine by me! It's been really nice here, nice enough to finally get some strong midge hatches popping and offer a dry fly junkie like myself a shot at some rising trout. The perfect opportunity to bust out the 489 in vintage dress and classic action. My favorite Burky when tiny flies and light tippet are the call of the day. 

A two day dry fly bender provided plenty of targets and some superb action. The Burky preformed as expected delivering accurate presentations and protecting the fine tippets during some hard fast runs from good fish. Being a little "old school" and forever promoting and respecting the traditional aspects of our sport, it's always a pleasure fishing these rods, which preform second to none and look damn fine doing it!

Now that dry fly season has started on the Fork, the 489 will be in constant rotation as one of my daily "working" rods. It's just getting started kids and we're staring down the barrel of about nine months of dry fly nirvana. Midges, Baetis, March Browns, Skwalas............ Oh my! Stay tuned.

Still Steelheading by Pete Gadd

You know how Elmer Fudd never knew whether it was duck season or rabbit season? Daffy would be dressed as a rabbit, telling poor gullible Elmer it was duck season, then Bugs would don a duck outfit assuring him it was definitely wabbit season. Well allow me to remind you, we are squarely in winter steelhead season, even if the warm sun on your shoulders might be saying something else. 

Winter steelheading isn’t shooting fish in a barrel. These prizes are few and far between and demand a level of intimacy that only comes from monogamy with a river. Don’t be impulsive, jumping rivers, casting about and then going elsewhere. Winter is a quiet time, a time to dedicate yourself to learning a river. You’ll come to know what levels the river is best at. You’ll learn the underwater topography that comes with seeing a river in many states. 

Start at the only reasonable place, the beginning. From the top of the run, start short, slowly working your way throughout the entirety. Over time you’ll come to know the ideal conditions for each spot on the run, but you can’t get there without experiencing all the aspects of the run first. While everyone only has eyes for spey rods, I’d like to gently suggest that you keep a single-handed rod in your tool kit as well. There are many situations where casting far, while fun, is missing fish right in front of you. A well-made, long, modern single-handed rod might very well expand your horizons, allowing you to pleasurably cast short at the top of runs. It’s not outdated or retro, but a specific tool for a specific situation that might open up a run to you in a way you didn’t consider. You can overhead cast, roll cast or even spey cast with a haul and send the line anywhere you desire. 

Stay warm, be patient and enjoy yourself.  It’s still steelhead season!



WINTER IS HERE - DECEMBER 2015 by Steve Perakis

After a summer of record-setting drought and low flows, winter roared into the Pacific Northwest late in 2015, dumping much needed snow in the mountains and rain in the rivers.  So much rain, so fast, that many rivers reached flood stage over multiple days in back-to-back storms.  Bank side trees were uprooted and moved to new places.  Gravel was scoured and sculpted into new bars. Big changes, but only temporary until the next big storm comes along.

This is the season that brings heart racing anticipation to many Pacific Northwest anglers - the season of winter steelhead - the burliest we've got.  Everyone knows the fishing it tough and the weather unpredictable.  Even with modern tools like 10 day weather predictions and satellite images, ideal conditions remain as elusive as the fish.  Sure, I could try to wait for the perfect day, but with life beyond the river tugging on my time, I rely on plan "A" and simply go when I can. Even marginal conditions give cause for celebration, an excuse to explore.  It's a time to cut new trails and groom old ones, clearing away the summer's salmonberry thickets, but carefully keeping the entrances hidden in the hope that I can stay there forever.

The view opens up into endless possibility and a preternatural instinct takes over.  Strip the line slowly and ply the soft water near the bank.  Stretch the kinks out of the running line and toss one to the bucket formed by the ledge.  Drop it in broadside, a little slack at first, then swim it slowly with the pulse of the flow.  Feel the pull of the current and the river's deep green beauty.  Winter is here!

Beer Season is Over - Time for Bourbon By Pete Gadd

I was Summer Steelheading on a lovely 16ºF afternoon when it occurred to me; perhaps it is no longer summer. The beer, slushing about, half frozen in our dry box, the icicles lengthening along the sides of the raft, each dip in the river adding another icy layer to our tube’s encapsulation. My rod, a Burkheimer 6128-4, which a few weeks ago was throwing a nice 390 grain dry line was now pressed into service throwing a 450 Skagit and 12 feet of T-11. 

The 6128-4 is a true 6-weight, not a 7- in disguise: it’s aptly suited for dry lines. In a pinch it can throw large flies and bigger chunks of sinking tip than you want to deal with, but it’s truly designed for summer runs, think, the Grande Ronde, the Deschutes, the John Day. Putting large sink tips on this rod is like putting four donuts on your new Porsche, you lose a lot of soul. That said, the 6128-4 is my favorite three season rod of all time.

Now, I like beer. Nothing can beat it on a hot summer day and there are spicy higher alcohol winter ales a plenty. But at a certain point, if you’re like me, one has to face the music (probably Christmas), recognize that we are Winter Steelheading, and switch to bourbon, and a heavier seven- or eight- weight rod. Fresh winter fish are bigger and stronger. The rivers are swollen and everything is against you landing a fish. Wild winter fish are jewels and should be respected. Your rod should be substantial enough to comfortably and quickly land these treasures with minimal distress, on both parties parts. So line up your bigger rod and pour yourself a drink, and get ready for winter.

excusez-moi, où sont les volants staek de flavore ?

By Pete Gadd

Several hundred years of fly fishing tradition for Atlantic Salmon is ancestor of modern steelheading and so holds a good amount of Romantic Charm for us. While our aspirations abound, we are not all able to drop $1500/night at a lodge. The better destinations are often saddled with difficult native tongues and flights that seem unending. You may feel it is hopelessly out of reach. But worry not dreamer, there can still be Atlantic Salmon chasing your flies. I come to you $68.75 per day poorer, and a good deal richer for a fantastic week of fishing for Atlantic Salmon.

Eastern Canada checks all my boxes for an Atlantic Salmon destination: the flights are direct, the people charming and the English language abounds, while not necessarily there native tongue. It may not have the heritage of Scotland or the mystique of Scandinavia, the rivers are gorgeously clean, ridiculously clean even, not a bubblegum wrapper in sight. Since you aren’t suffering terrible jet lag from flying halfway across the world, you can enjoy it all the more and do so, on the cheap, since the licensing can run as low as $70 per day. Not only that, but Canada has the best potato chip flavor of all time: Grilled Steak Ruffles®.

June brings fresh great grey Ghosts into the rivers of Eastern Canada. While there aren’t hordes of Chromers headed upstream yet, the quality of the fish more than makes up for their numbers. It is an excellent time to catch the fish of a lifetime — so fresh they are leaping out of the water to shake the sea lice off. Because there aren’t thirty fish to a pool at this time of year, it is even more important to get a guide, at least for a day or two, and save yourself a week of frustration and regret. While the fish are somewhat sparse, so are the crowds which always has me giving a little sigh of relief.

While I presented this as a budget piece, one thing I urge you not to scrimp on is a good guide. While peanut butter sandwiches are as good a fuel as any, all the money saved won’t count for squat unless you have a clue what you’re doing. As a steelheader from the West, I was stunned at the difference in fly speed when fishing for Atlantic Salmon. It’s so much faster that it’s almost unbelievable. You need someone to nudge you faster than you think could possibly be right. They’re also invaluable with showing you the ropes, where to get you day’s license, etc.

Tackle for salmon in Eastern Canada is very similar to what you have if you live in the PNW — twelve to thirteen foot spey rods in the seven to eight weight bracket fit the bill perfectly. I fished a 7127-4 almost exclusively and never felt under-gunned. Bringing a single-hander is advised, though I may be showing my age with that comment (hey kids get off my lawn).

Thanks to David and Charles for a great week and showing me the ropes. Contact the Burkheimer Rod shop (service@cfbflyrods.com) for guide recommendations and accommodations.

Dean River British Columbia

Bucket List Trip! At a Discount…

The week is June 26th - July 3rd, hosted by Jason Hartwick of Steelhead on the Spey Guide Service. We have discounted it $1000 and is now priced at $5150. Price includes full week of guided fishing, all meals by our amazing chef, wine with dinner and our roundtrip floatplane charter flight from Smithers. We fish 6 anglers with two guides (Steve Morrow and Matt Moisley). We use a Dean style dory with jet drive outboard to get from spot to spot, all fishing is done while wading in the lower river below the canyon. Our lodge sits next to Grantham Falls overlooking the Dean Channel.

Primetime discounted week on the lower Dean River?

When the two words "Dean" and "River" are placed together, it elicits a unique response among steelhead fishermen. The Dean River is the world's top destination for steelhead. The river is beautiful beyond imagination and her steelhead are incredibly aggressive. They are truly wild and evolution has them built for speed and power. All of them must navigate a fierce canyon and leap multiple waterfalls to get to their prime spawning grounds. But the Chinook of the Dean are even more respectable. Those brave enough to chase these large and powerful fish are testing tackle and challenging the edge of what is land-able in freshwater. The Chinook here eat swung flies aggressively near the surface, run hard, jump often, and hold in steelhead water making them an easy target with flies.

Kimsquit Bay Lodge is owned and operated by Jeff and Kathryn Hickman. Jeff is a longtime friend of CF Burkheimer Rod Company and is a well-respected guide here in Oregon. Jeff and Kathryn bought the lodge last year from the Blackwell family. They are making many improvements to the lodge and maintaining the level of customer service that the Blackwell family established 20 years ago. They concentrate their fishing in the lower river below the falls and into tide water. Fish in this stretch of river are at their peak fitness! Sea lice, clear fins, and empty reels are what you’ll find here. They run a short season and cater to only 6 guests per week. With two excellent guides offering an intimate knowledge of the river, help and instruction.

Kimsquit Bay Lodge recently had a cancelation and is offering a $1000 discount for the week of June 26th - July 3rd. Price is now $5150 for a full week of guided fishing. Do yourself a favor and book this trip. Discounted spots on the Dean are unheard of.

Caaarp With Peter Gadd

When news of normalizing relations with Cuba broke headlines, many anglers began dreaming of direct flights to virgin turquoise Bonefish flats and the shimmer of tailing Permit. Of course when reality sets in, a delightful if somewhat more pedestrian alternative is just up the highway. You may not be able to afford Cuba but a corn dog and a tank of gas is all you need for an afternoon of tailing golden bonefish in the warm sun. That’s right, we’re talking about Carp.

The Carp in question, Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) first graced our fair Columbia River after the extremely wet spring of 1881 flooded a nursery pond in Troutdale and several thousand (!) genuine German specimens were liberated. These fish produce upwards of a million eggs a year, in no time one could buy piles of dead carp to fertilize your field for $5 a ton. But while they may be many, they are surprisingly clever and prove an exciting challenge to catch. You’ll never have to worry about other carp anglers encroaching on your bit of mud flat and you can pat yourself on the back for every one that you remove from the river’s ecosystem.

Precise casting to cruising carp is by no means easy. It’s an excellent way to hone your skills for that future trip to Cuba, Belize or the Yucatan — where you’ll also need to lay your fly very precisely with a whistling wind upping the challenge. You need a rod with oversize stripping guides, a reel seat the keeps your reel in, rods designed to cast in the windiest conditions, load quickly and cast with a high degree of accuracy.  I choose to fish the CF Burkheimer 690-4SW though not designed as a bugler rod, it does function perfectly with its quick loading and pinpoint accuracy.

If you don’t have time for Trout or Steelhead and you just need to get off your computer, or if you’re bound by obligations for dinner or daycare,  may I humbly recommend fly-fishing for Carp. Cuba will be there tomorrow, and you’ll be ready.

John Larison's Quiver the Burkheimer 9145-4

The following is an occasional series exploring the quiver of rods that John Larison fishes throughout his season.  Stay tuned for further installments.

John Larison’s Quiver The Burkheimer 9145-4

No rod quiver is complete without a big water, big wade, big fish canon.  How often have you been on a run that demanded a belly button wade and a long cast and found yourself struggling to deliver the fly?  A fourteen-foot nine weight is the solution; the extra length functionally lowers the river to your knees and the extra mass in the line effortlessly lifts even a heavy winter tip and bulky fly from the surface.  The Burkheimer 9145-4, unlike other fourteen-foot nine weights, preserves the grace found with the best thirteen-foot seven-weights, thanks to the optimal blend of deep-loading progressive taper and instantaneous recovery.

ROD: 9145-4

REEL:  Hardy Salmon Marquis 3; a heavier reel balances this rod well.

LINES: In Summer, I load my 9145-4 with Nextcast’s 55’ Fall Favorite 8/9.  In Winter, I prefer the dart-like precision of Nextcast’s 45’ Winter Authority 8/9 matched with 12.5 feet of T-11.  For heavy water King Salmon, I fall back on Airflo’s 660 Compact Skagit or, if I’m still not getting down, Airflo’s 630 Intermediate Skagit.  Both of these Skagit heads turn over T-14 like its nothing, and can be persuaded to turnover T-17 if the water demands it.  With Skagit heads, I loop to Airflo’s Miracle Braid.  With Nextcast heads, I loop to Airflo’s Ridge Running Line, as it offers the extra mass the Nextacast heads desire for turnover.

NOTES:  I first fell in love with the 9145-4 while fishing Kings in BC with Wally of the Spey Lodge.  The fishing frequently demanded waist-deep wading and long casts with heavy flies, and the 9145-4 got the job done with grace.  The next winter, I put the rod to use on my coastal rivers and discovered a whole new level of control; I could cast to the far side seam and steer the line with precision around a boulder or two before dropping the fly into the bucket.  The 9145 caught fish I otherwise would have missed.

But another reason I find myself reaching for the 9145-4 is that it allows me to cover water about 40% faster than I can with my conventional tip set-ups.

Often to catch Kings or Winter Steelhead, I find myself needing twelve feet of T-11 or T-14.  To turnover a tip of that mass, we need a heavy line, most anglers use a Skagit head.  However, if you’re casting long with a Skagit head all day, you pretty quickly get worn out stripping back the running line—then managing all that line in the current around your knees.

The 9145-4, when coupled with a Nextcast 45’ or 55’ “inter Authority 8/9, will gracefully single-spey T-11 all day long.  With each cast, you’ll strip in twenty of thirty less feet of running line—that’s four to six pulls of line!—and have that much less line to manage during the cast.  As a result, you’ll cover a run in less time, meaning you’ll have more daylight—and energy—remaining to try an extra few runs during the day and show your fly to that many more fish.

CF Burkheimer Week at the Spey Lodge

Another year of Steelhead fishing has passed and it’s time to start a new season of chasing silver.  Our Steelhead year always gets rolling with a Week at The Spey Lodge in Terrace, British Columbia.  While some believe the Fall fishing is the time of choice in the North country, those that are “in the know”, hands down feel that the Spring fishing is even better.  We agree, Spring Steelhead fishing in Skeena Country is the finest anywhere in the world.

A quote from Brian Styskal; “Through the course of each season, this is the place and time of year I dream about.  Being there, casting to these amazing wild fish hours from the salt.  It is the highlight of my year.  I have seen things on these rivers that will blow your mind.  The Spring is it, no question!”

Skeena Spring Steelhead are very unique, they will inhale a skater if the temperature is anywhere close to 40 degrees.  One could fish a floating line for the entire week and not miss a beat.  We have friends that stick to the dry line all season on these waters with epic results.

The Spey Lodge is located on the bank of the Skeena River, two sips of coffee from the Famous Copper River.  It’s the perfect setting for your stay.  Wally Faetz owns and operates The Spey Lodge and is one of the best Steelhead and Salmon guides we have ever met.  His work ethic and knowledge would crush most guides.  This man lives and breathes the rivers he fishes.  His exploration spent on less known rivers where Salmon & Steelhead have not been documented is even more impressive.  That’s sort of the kicker, it’s an added bonus in this trip as there is the opportunity to fish water where you won’t see another human foot print.  What you will see are Mountain Goats, amazing water falls, fantastic country, and of course Steelhead.

It’s difficult to describe the lower Skeena to someone that has not experienced it before.  Easily two times wider than most all of the other big water Steelhead Rivers.  The scenery is stunning, with snow-capped mountains and classic Steelhead pools that approach 400 yards in length.  It offers a gentle gradient that’s easy to wade and the fish hold from you boot laces out as far as a solid spey cast.  Fish come from any part of your swing so staying diligent pays dividends.  Skeena Country Spring Steelhead possess a third gear, maybe it’s just the sheer size and flow of the Skeena, but expect power like you’ve never felt before.

The true Silver Lining at The Spey Lodge is Chef Molly.  She is the most amazing chef we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, truly a culinary artist.  After a long day on the river her cooking will warm your heart.

We truly hope you consider joining us for this amazing week of fishing.  You will never forget the Country, the Rivers, the Lodge, the Experience, but most of all, the Steelhead!

CF Burkheimer Spey Week

March 29th to April 5th, 2015

Cost: 

  • $5200.00, plus 2.5% tax, plus $100.00 for licensing per rod.  This is in Canadian funds.  Does not include gratuities.

Arrival: 

  • Plan your arriving flight from Vancouver, BC to Terrace airport on March 29th, 2015.  We recommend contacting Debbie at Elan Travel (877-897-5071), she has extensive experience with setting up all your needed flights and connections.
  • Spey Lodge Staff will pick you up at the airport.  Look for The Spey Lodge sign in the terminal
  • Meet and greet back at the lodge and get settled into your private room
  • Introductions and orientation during appetizers before dinner.
  • Dinner at 7:00pm

Monday thru Saturday Fishing Program:

  • Morning wake up 6:00am
  • Breakfast at 6:30, at which time you will be paired with another angler and a guide
  • Depart for designated river at 7:30am
  • A 10 hour day with an hour break for lunch at 12:00pm
  • Return to the lodge at 6:00pm
  • Appetizers at 7:00pm
  • Dinner at 7:30pm

Departure:

  • Plan your departing flight from Terrace to Vancouver for Sunday, April 5th, 2015

Other Details:

  • Alcohol, Spey Lodge does not provide hard liquor.  Please bring spirits with you
  • Wine, Spey Lodge will have wine available for dinners

For further details give us a shout at the CF Burkheimer Shop 360-835-1420.

Atlantic Salmon with Willy George

How I discovered the difference between an Atlantic Salmon and a Steelhead

by Willy George

 It was one of the few remaining species on my bucket list -- the Atlantic Salmon.  It’s funny how some of my fly fishing trips come together.  I met Ernie up on the Babine last Fall fishing for steelhead at the wonderful Babine Norlakes camp.  He had chosen a different week on a one-time basis due to a personal commitment.  We hit it off instantly and by the end of the week he was talking about coming back to the Babine during that same week next year and he had offered me a chance to fish for Atlantic Salmon in his home waters in Eastern Canada.  Sweet!

In the last week of June 2014, I flew from San Francisco through Montreal to Bathurst, New Brunswick arriving at midnight.  We drove 3 hours through pouring rain to the banks of the Restigouche River.  At three in the morning, I climbed into a 26 foot canoe and motored across the river to Downs Gulch camp.  Atlantic Salmon camps are a little different than the steelhead camps that I was used to in the Pacific Northwest.  Camps have their own private pools, which are rotated through the camp guests during the course of the week.  Wardens police the pools to avoid poaching.  On the Restigouche, most fishing is done out of an anchored canoe and the majority of fishermen use single handed rods.  I had my quiver of Burkheimer Spey rods and easily adapted my Spey moves to cast out of the boat.  Many of the guides are second or even third generation fishing guides.  They describe how they sometimes still cast the rod for their clients and even hook the fish for their “sports” before handing the rod to the client, just like in the old days.  The camp “oozed” with such traditions.  I ran into another Burkie devotee named Keith from Charlotte, North Carolina.  We fished some familiar steelhead-type flies like the Undertaker, but more often used local patterns like the Picasse (loosely translated, it means “anchor” in French).

The Restigouche River faces challenges like many of the other Maritime Province salmon rivers such as gill netting at its mouth and large scale commercial fishing off shore.  The local salmon experts were debating whether the run was going to be late this year or whether it was just going to be a low number return.  I couldn’t wait for the final decision since I was on my way to another famous Atlantic Salmon river up north.  I left the Restigouche after four days of fishing with no fish landed.

New Derreen Camp on the Grand Cascapedia River has hosted Atlantic Salmon fishermen for over 130 years -- Royalty and nobility, two U.S. presidents and celebrities galore.  The Cascapedia flows south across the Gaspe Peninsula in the Quebec Province.  I admit I needed to brush up on my North Atlantic geography before my trip.  The Gaspe Peninsula forms the southern bank of the St. Lawrence River.  Both the Restigouche and the Grand Cascapedia flow mostly through heavily timbered remote areas but each empties into Chaleur Bay, home to some of best lobsters and snow crab I have ever eaten.

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Fishing in the dozen or so pools reserved for New Derreen guests was all walk and wade fishing.  The only time we used a canoe was to pole across the river to fish water on the right bank.  My education on how to fish for Atlantic Salmon began in earnest on the Cascapedia.  My steelhead habits needed to be quickly unlearned.  The time honored tradition of mending upstream to slow the swing of a steelhead fly was quickly replaced with either “no mend” or a more cross current cast to actually speed up the fly’s swing.  The guides and experienced Atlantic Salmon fly fishers had a specific “swing speed” that they were targeting.  The ideal swing speed changed in different types of water.  Once a fish swirled or rolled on the fly, the game was afoot.  Similar to steelheading, we worked these “players” with multiple casts slightly above and below the spot where we saw the swirl and often changed flies to try to entice a grab.

Besides learning to gauge the proper swing speed, the biggest change for me in Atlantic Salmon fishing was the hook set.  My respectable “hooking to landing ratio” in steelheading is largely due to letting the steelhead hook themselves.  I accomplish this by having a 30” coil of line between my rod hand and my reel which the fish peels off before coming tight to my anchor finger.  In Atlantic Salmon fishing, the guides all direct their clients to raise the rod to a vertical position, essentially a trout set (can you believe it?!?), as soon as you feel the weight of the fish.  I am big believer in trusting your guide and doing whatever he/she says.  I was having some second thoughts about my unwavering commitment to “doing it the guide’s way.”  But I stayed with it.

It was Day 3.  I was fishing on the upper section of the Cascapedia, on one of the two branches that eventually form the main stem.  I was using a Burkheimer CF-7134 lined with Ballistic Vector 7/8F 500 grain 52’ head on a Saracione Mark IV reel.  We had seen fish roll in the run as we were working our way downstream so we knew there were active fish in that section of the river.  The swing speed was perfect and an aggressive fish lunged for my fly.  I waited to feel the fish’s weight and when I did, I simply raised the rod (all 13’4” of it) to the vertical position.  Fish on!

Another thing different about Atlantic Salmon fishing: usually the angler stands his ground and fights the fish from where he hooked up.  This is a bit different from steelheading where often we work our way downstream to keep side pressure on the fish.  So I stood my ground and fought this beautiful fish into a stillwater area below a rock ledge where the guide netted her.  My first Atlantic Salmon was a gorgeous chrome bright 14 pound hen.

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The fishing reports from other camps matched our own experiences; it was a low number year.  Each day fish were landed but it was not a banner year by any means.  But we had to keep our fly in the water.  The next swing could be the one.

It was Day 6.  A slow week without question.  Oh well, I had caught an Atlantic Salmon on a Spey rod and I was happy.  Not every angler had caught a fish that week.  We fished that last morning in a light but steady rain.  Back at the camp, our bags were already packed for the drive out after lunch.  We were fishing Caribou Pool, a new run for me.  I had my Burkie CF-8134 with a Hatch 11 Plus Finatic reel lined with a Ballistic Vector 8/9F 570 grain 55’ head.  During the course of the week I was really getting grooved on this rod/line combo.  As one of my fishing buddies remarked, “you can really hawk that thing out there.”  I think that is a technical term.  Anyway, I was swinging my fly, a Green Highlander, along a seam a long ways over on the far side of the river.  As I worked my way downstream, the guide reported that earlier he had seen a fish roll in that same far seam.  Sure enough, I saw a big boil, felt the weight, and set the hook straight up.  This was a big fish.  She jumped once and the guide screamed to his buddy, “big one.”  The fished made a sudden run downstream and while I stood my ground (as ordered), the fish was into my backing (I now recommend 250 yards, by the way).  I worked the fish in, got the fly line back onto the reel and felt in control.  Not so fast, the fish made a big cartwheel-like jump completely out of the water.  I would later describe the splash as sounding like a swimmer with swim fins jumping off a diving board.  Splat!  And off she went downstream into the backing for a second time.  By the time I reeled her in and guided her into the magnum salmon net, it had been a 20 minute battle.  The fish weighed 23 pounds on the net scale; the second largest fish caught that week.  Fresh from the ocean, shiny chrome in color, and as strong as any fish I had ever hooked.  What a thrill and what a way to end a memorable trip; lots of new learnings while fishing for this new species.  Glad my Burkie Spey rods were there with me.  Couldn’t have done it without them.

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The author, Willy George, is an IFFF Certified Master Casting Instructor who teaches single hand and Spey casting at the world famous Golden Gate casting ponds in San Francisco, California.  He also co-founded the San Francisco School of Fly Fishing (website: sanfranciscoschoolofflyfishing.com) and is a member of the Burkheimer Pro Staff.  Willy can be reached at his email address:  busygeorges@aol.com

Pocket Water Fishing and the 483-4 DAL

Today's fly rod marketing is predictable, nearly all the manufacturers want to tell you how light and fast theirs rods are, and why that makes them better.  They go on and on talking about proprietary materials, processes and actions.  The truth is, all rod manufacturers are using pretty much the same materials and processes to build a fly rod.  After you wade past all the hype in the press releases and internet postings about how they belt out 80 feet of line in the parking lot, exactly where fast rods are designed to impress and excel.   But my experience shows these to be very poor fishing tools.  Let’s get back to what matters in a trout rod.  How about a rod that simply makes you cast smoothly and effortlessly, protects light tippets, and has built in fish-ability. Whether you’re fishing caddis along the Madison River for bank hugging Browns or small Royal Wulff’s on Rock Creek for beautifully colored Cutthroat.  The bank bound dry fly angler encounters the same scenario in both situations, Trout holding in pockets of turbulent water around rocks, undercut banks, and overhanging brush. This style of fishing demands a rod designed to throw smooth, tight, accurate loops with a short line, and delivers your offering in tight quarters.  If you find yourself working this type of pocket water then you need to consider the 483-4 DAL.

For years CF Burkheimer Fly Rod Company’s two and three piece rods have been coveted by anglers across the West for their high performance, but super sweet full flexing actions.  When we ventured into four piece rods many of our customers loved the new actions, but also missed the full flexing feel of the earlier two piece models.  Thus we added the DAL (Deep Action Load) series to our line of four piece Trout rods, bringing back the high performance and full flexing feel of our earlier two & three piece rods.  I feel the 483-4 DAL is the sweetest of the bunch.

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of taking a phone call with a gentleman from California.  He had seen a couple of our rods and decided to give us a call.  He was reasonably happy with most of his current rods but like most anglers was seeking to get more out of them.  The call lasted about an hour as he described the fishing he was doing.  I knew for a fact the 483-DAL was the absolute right rod for him.  He agreed to give one a shot and here‘s the evaluation in his own words.

“I fish rivers in the high Sierra's of California for one reason, to have fun. With the 483-4 DAL in my hand it is just that, fun to fish.  Whether you are doing a curve cast, an overhead cast, snake roll, or a standard roll cast, this rod is amazing.  The feeling you get when the rod loads and unloads goes from your arm straight to your heart. I love the feeling of casting this rod and find it to be deadly accurate between 25 and 45 feet.  I would give this amazing little rod my highest recommendation to anyone who fishes small streams and wants to have fun.

Thank you Kerry Burkheimer and crew, for designing and building this extremely high quality rod it’s fun to cast and fish.  I have named my 483-4 DAL, Sweetness.”

James Telles

If your trout fishing consists of casts between 25 to 40 feet with small dry flies then the 483-4 DAL will be your best friend and greatest joy.

Rob Allen

Rod Blank Production

C.F. Burkheimer Fly Rod Company

Changes at C.F. Burkheimer

C.F. Burkheimer Evolves

As a new season gets into full swing we have some changes here at C.F. Burkheimer Fly Rod Company.

We're very excited to announce the addition of Randy Stetzer to our team. Randy is a veteran of the fly fishing industry, an accomplished angler, experienced traveler, expert caster and, most importantly, a good human being. Randy will be handling customer service and public relations at C.F. Burkheimer, and we're extremely fortunate to have a man of his caliber here at the shop. Have a question on a new rod, looking to properly line the rod you have, have a question about a repair? Talk with Randy and he'll take care of you.