Which Rugged Camera To Buy?

Back in February I posted an announcement on the new Pentax Optio WG-1 and Optio WG-1 GPS.  Mainly I love my Pentax W90 for the auto macro setting.  This feature turns on the LED lights and engages the macro - no fumbling with settings.  The down side, as with  most compact digital cameras, is the noise at a high ISO and in low light.  Let's face it.  These cameras can't replace a DSLR.  Regardless, it's the camera I keep with my fishing gear.  I can do things to it that I can't do with a DSLR.

Digital Photography Review posted it's new "Waterproof compact camera group test" and the new Pentax Optio WG-1 didn't fare well.  For daylight conditions it's a middle of the road choice, and in low light it's in the bottom of the class.  The camera which took best of the bunch in every category is the Panasonic DMC-TS3.  Sony TX10 came in a close second.  Missing from the test group was a Canon and Nikon camera.

Canon has not updated its Powershot D10.  Nikon's Coolpix AW100 just entered the market.  The new Nikon has my eye, mainly for brand reasons.  I've shot with a Nikon SLR and now a DSLR for the last 30 years. I did the math and could not believe it has been that long since my first Nikon. (These product reviews make to feel old.)  

The Nikon looks good on paper and is similar to the Panasonic.  Both cameras offer GPS tagging with a compass, shooting full 1080i HD video and image stabilization.  The Nikon edges out the Panasonic in the mega pixel area and optics, 16M vs. 12M / 28-140mm vs. 28-128mm equivalent. 

While the Nikon edges out the Panasonic on paper, the true test comes in the field.  Which one to buy...?  To add to the dilemma, both cameras cost less than $400.

The right answer for me is to wait for a full review with sample images.  By that time, I'm sure a new camera (maybe from Canon) will enter the mix.

If any of you have either camera please comment and give me your recommendation.


Thanks,

Fly and Fin

Pheasant Tail Anchor to the Rescue

Many readers know The Jersey Angler and I are friend's and we go out west and fish together quite often.  While in West Yellowstone this summer we'd tied up a few flies.  One of the pattens I'd tied up during one of our evening tying session was his Pheasant Tail Anchor (click to load his post).  It's been hard getting out fishing because of the  crazy high water.  Hurricane Irene and few tropical storms have flooded and kept our stream over flowing. 

The river I fish, fishes best around 150 cubic feet per second not the 250-300 it's been running.  I did manged to wet a line the other day, mainly to see what Hurricane Irene did to the stream.  Many of the pools and runs I know well have all changed.  It's like fishing a new river.

The water was high and moving but thanks to the Pheasant Tail Anchor and that over-sized  disco tungsten bead, I did well.  The fly sinks like a rock on steroid, ticking the bottom every time.  They worked so well I lost everyone I had in my box. Luckily I'd tied some up with standard tungsten beads. Now I'll need to stock up on those disco bead

Here are a few of the fish taken on that day.

NJ Fall Trout Stocking Coming in October

The Fall stocking of trout in New Jersey is set to start in the second week of October.  According to the Divisuion of Fish and Wildlife the fall stocking will start on Tuesday October 11, 2011, an estimated 20,000 Brook and Rainbow trout averaging 2 years and 14-17 inches will be stocked in 16 stream and ponds over a 2 week period. Beside the 20,000 an addition 1000 broodstock trout averaging 18-24 inches are to be stocked.  These breast are going to be mixed in with each truck load.

Here is a map of the stream and ponds being stocked and the listing of waters with numbers.

Week 1 - October 10-14, 2011

Monday, October 10 - No stocking
Tuesday, October 11
MONMOUTH & OCEAN COUNTIES

• Manasquan River - 650
• Metedeconk River, North Branch - 150
• Metedeconk River, South Branch - 240
• Tom's River (including TCA) - 360

SOMERSET COUNTY

• Raritan River, North Branch - 920

SUSSEX & WARREN COUNTIES

• Paulinskill River, and E/Br and W/Br - 1,720

Wednesday, October 12
HUNTERDON, MORRIS & WARREN COUNTIES

• Musconetcong River (including Point Mt. TCA, Hunterdon County) - 2,820

SUSSEX & WARREN COUNTIES

• Pequest River (including TCA, Pequest WMA) - 1,550

Thursday, October 13
SUSSEX COUNTY

• Big Flat Brook - 1,620
• Wallkill River - 470

MORRIS COUNTY

• Black River - 330
• Rockaway River - 1,290

WARREN COUNTY

• Pohatcong Creek - 800

Friday, October 14 BERGEN & PASSAIC COUNTIES

• Wanaque River - 330
• Ramapo River - 880

HUNTERDON, MORRIS & SOMERSET COUNTIES

• Raritan River, South Branch (including TCA, Ken Lockwood Gorge) - 2,570

Week 2, October 17-21, 2011

Monday, October 17 - No stocking
Tuesday, October 18
ATLANTIC & CUMBERLAND COUNTIES

• Giampetro Park Pond - 170
• Hammonton Lake - 340
• Mary Elmer Lake - 170
• Maurice River - 400

BURLINGTON, CAMDEN & GLOUCESTER COUNTIES

• Crystal Lake - 170
• Grenloch Lake - 170
• Oak Pond - 170
• Sylvan Lake - 170

Wednesday, October 19
GLOUCESTER & SALEM COUNTIES

• Greenwich Lake - 170
• Iona Lake - 170
• Schadlers Sand Wash Pond - 170
• Swedesboro Lake - 170

MIDDLESEX & MERCER COUNTIES

• Colonial Lake - 170
• Farrington Lake - 340
• Roosevelt Park Pond - 170
• Rosedale Lake - 170

Thursday, October 20 - No stocking Friday, October 21 - No stocking

For more information visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/flstk.htm

The next A River Runs Through It?

Coming to a theater near you Salmon Fishing in the Yemen the movie.  This adaptation of Paul Torday's 2007 novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival this week.   No release date for general audiences, but CBS Films acquired the U.S.distribution rights.

Here is the plot according to the Wikipedia. "A fisheries scientist finds himself reluctantly involved in a project to bring salmon fishing to the wadis of the Highlands of Yemen, and change British political history and the course of his life."

Will this be the next A River Runs Through It? I don't know, but they do need to practice their casting.

Henry's Fork Rainbow

Here is a short video from my trip out west this year. It's the first shot with my new GoPro HD camera while using the chest harness. The Rainbow took a double bead black stone fly nymph. The current was moving and the trout used it well.

Enjoy.

Dam Removal, always a good thing.

Here in the east we have a lot of small Dams, some which date back to the colonial era and others to the industrial revolution, and some like the Calco Dam are recent.  All dam have an impact on the streams environment, while large bottom release Dams create cold water habit for trout these smaller top water release Dams have major negative impact trout and migrating species.

It's a always a good day when one of these dams is taken down and fish migration is restored.  It will only take a short time for the Shad to re-establish themselves upstream and soon there after the Striped Bass should follow.

Return of the Old Style Guide Wader by Simms

 

Simms is re-introducing it's Guide Wader to the market.  While I could not go the International Fly Tackle Dealer IFTD show in New Orleans this year I been keeping my eye out for news on new gear.

I was happy to see that Simms is bring back it's popular Guide Wader, which hasn't be available since 2006. The main reason for my excitement is my old pair of Guide Wader which I purchased some time before 2006 are starting to show signs of wear.  Matter of fact, I was going to replace them this year but just couldn't see me ponying up for Simms G4 Pro Wader, so I'd repaired my old ones.

There's nothing wrong with the G4 they look to be good wader's.  I won't buy another brand, because my Simms have given me many years of service.  Before purchasing Simms I was in to new waders almost every year (every other if I was lucky).

In short this camper is glad to see the return of the old style Guide Wade.  I like the design and I don't need all the bells and whistles of the G4.

Damsels, Trout and Grayling

In Yellowstone country there are many great rivers to fish for trout, but there are many great lakes, other than Yellowstone Lake. These lakes require you to hike in a few miles, most have well groomed trails, but make sure you have your bear spray while in the back country (see The Jersey Angler's post "Brookies and Bears").

These high mountain are have many insects, Callibaetis, Damsels, as well as Caddis.  The hatch can be tremendous, and if your there at the right time you'll have a glorious day.  Well that's just what happen on our hike to a undisclosed lake in Yellowstone country with Grayling. (There is only one lake in Yellowstone country with Grayling*.)

On pattern that worked splendidly, was my K.I.S.S. Damsel, it's simple, extremely fast to tie and works everywhere there are Damsels.

K.I.S.S. Damsel



Hook: Nymph hook 4x long (200R*)
Size 8 - 12
Thread: Olive
Tail:Olive Marabou
Body: Olive Marabou
Rib: Gold Wire
Head: Tungsten Bead sized to hook
* I've found 200R hooks with a bead ride hook point up.

Slide bead on to the hook and attach thread.

Tie in wire rib.

Tie in Olive Marabou and form a short tail.

Wrap the marabou forward and tie off.

Counter wrap your wire forward and secure with several wraps.

Whip finish and your Damsel nymph is completed.

While in West Yellowstone we (Jersey Angler, Rick and I) would tie up some of the patterns we would use the next day.

Tying session in the cabin.

This Rainbow smashed the K.I.S.S. Damsel

Greyling takes the Damsel

*The undisclosed lake is name at the end of the video.

Feather-Craft New Giveaway

Here is new give-a-way from Feather-Craft Fly Fishing.  For the this giveaway 3 individuals will receive their choice of a UV Buff (click here to see choices) and get to pick out a book and a two DVD’s from the list below:

Pick one of the two.

• Charlie Craven’s: Charlies Fly Box (autographed copy!)

• Pat Dorsey’s: Tying & Fishing Tailwater Flies (autographed copy!)

Pick two DVD’s from the choices below.

• Musky Country: Zero 2 Hero
• Night of the Hex
• Soulfish 2
• Black Tailed Devil 

To enter go to http://flyfishinggiveaway.com/blog/2011/07/21/new-giveaway/ and  scroll to the bottom of the page and let them know how your Summer fishing. Where have you been? What are you catching? Any good fishing stories?

CDC UV Caddis - Caddis, Caddis Everywhere...

Caddis are abundant on most rivers, but the Madison and other rivers in Yellowstone country there can have blizzard hatches.  Never leave home with out a caddis pattern in your box. Here is one that is quick, easy to see, and floats like a cork.

CDC UV Caddis

Hook: Standard Dry Fly Hook Size 10 - 10
Thread: Tan

Body: Hairline Tan UV Ice Dub
Under Wing: Natural CDC (3-4 feathers)
Wing: Elk or Deer Hair

This is a another pattern which follows the K.I.S.S. rule. It's simple, fast to tie and works everywhere. You can variety the color of the body to match the caddis in your area, the UV dubbing adds some nice sparkle to the pattern, you can also substitute the UV dubbing with an Anton blend for similar results.

While fishing in Yellowstone country this past July this was my go to caddis pattern if I wasn't throwing large Salmon Files.

It caught selective trout in the Henry's Fork, Brook Trout, Rainbows and Grayling in the park.

Attach your thread.

Dub the body.

Tie in the CDC under wing.

Tie in your Deer hair.

Trim Deer hair and whip finish.

 Below are some of the trout taken with the CDC UV Caddis.

Yellowstone Brook Trout

Henry's Fork Rainbow

Madison Rainbow.

Bugger Off

If your like me you have a collection of fishing cloths. If you've purchased some in recently you may have the brands treated with insect repellent, some which may last 40 washings. It goes without saying these treated cloths cost 2 to 3 times there non-treated counter parts.

So what's one to do if you don't want to buy all new fishing cloths with the insect repellent. Well you can do it yourself. This DYI project won't last as long as the brand named cloths, but it works. I've been doing this for several years and it works.

Caution must be taken this repellent is nasty stuff. Avoid contact with your skin, eyes, and lungs and do not apply to the interior of your clothing. Read and follow the instructions.

Apply the repellent outdoors on a windless day and wearing gloves.

You can pick-up this or other brands at your local camping/hunting store. One can will treat 4 garments.

Two cans treated 3 shirts, 4 pants and 1 hat. Now all my fishing cloths are treated for a fraction of the cost. I find I only have to do this once a year especially when I going to fish where there a ton of blood sucking insects.

I'd say that this works for 95% of the places I fish, but there are those places where you do have to supplement the your DYI "Bugger Off" cloths.

I'd purchase the Ben's at my local EMS and this post is not a recommendation for one product over another. You can find others brands at you local camping, fishing or hunting shop.

Performance:
On my recent trip to Montana's Yellowstone country I can tell you my Bugger Off clothing performed brilliantly. While my buddy Rick was being attacked on our way to Grebe Lake I was virtually untouched. The only insect bites I received were on my hand, which was untreated.

Fly Casting with Bob Jacklin

We rolled in to West Yellowstone set up base camp at Sleepy Hollow then walk over to Jacklin's and talked to Bob and his guides.

Every Sunday at 7:30pm Bob conducts a free casting clinic behind the Police station. We went once to lend our support. The Jersey Angler and I volunteer our service and helped Bob out with the one-on-one instruction.

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Three Sisters

Idaho view of the three sisters.

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Gone Fishing.

On my way to Montana and Yellowstone country with "The Jersey Angler". As you can see he's not a morning person.

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Summer Stones

With the summer weather finally hitting NJ and water temperatures on the rise it time I give the trout a rest.  When water temperature start hitting the 70 degree mark, I start targeting warm and salt water fins.

But the warm and salt water will have to wait.  I'm going through my gear, packing and heading west, West Yellowstone that is for some cold water fin.

Here are a few photos from the beginning of the month when the stone files were busting.  The bad thing was no top water action, all down below. 

Shuck...

Adult...

4th of July visitor seeks shade on my patio umbrella.