Diversions

A DIFFERENT CUP OF TEA

Winter's Haze Enhanced

not for everyone

Digital Pinhole Image: 1/60, on camera flash, f256, distance 1".

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.. The winter is a bit on the long side up here. Fishing becomes a greater chore than usual. We tend to fish less and extemporize more. This winter was the perfect example.

Mahogany Pinhole: 4x5, 79mm focal distance, f156.
Shutter speeds by thumb.

.. During one long evening we stumbled onto an old pinhole camera project in the corner of a long forgotten trunk. Hmmmmm? It sparked interest in this, the earliest of photographic techniques.
.. We diverted our lachrymose moods of winter into useless busywork and puttered with the concept of, and application of pinholes to everything.
.. One bit of silliness involved yards and yards of Duct Tape, black paper, and a hole in our window shade. Thus we turned our front room into a camera obscura.

Canon EOS 30D pinhole.

.. Sheeze, what winter does to the mind. We averted cabin fever with cabin obscura. And, it did pass the time. Given the irregular viewing wall in our 'cabin camera' it brought to mind the weltanschauung we held during the 60's.
.. Lately we've adapted some of our large format gear into primitive hulks that we call cameras. We've also transformed a couple of digital cameras into digital pinhole devices, (the sensors needed cleaning anyway.) It's amazing what you can do with tin foil, electricians tape, a short extension tube, and black card stock.

Indulgent friend.

.. We've even adulterated the view camera with a pinhole. Now that is pure sacrilege! They all will make pictures. The images however, are not for everyone.
.. Today, with post processing, photoshopping, and enhancements - both in and out of camera, images tend to be presented in a cookie cutter fashion: overly sharp, overly saturated, over the top. We call them good and go on down the road.

Indulgent friend's dog.

.. Pinhole images require a bit of engagement. They are not starkly identifiable in an instant. This means that the viewer takes a bit longer to decipher them. It's not what everybody wants or needs. It is fun though.
.. We have badgered our friends and neighbors, (and neighbor's dogs,) into enduring our follies this winter. They endure and indulge us and admire the ethereal images that happen. We nod and accept their friendship.

Back door.

.. Done with panache and aplomb, the images can be quite charming or very disturbing. We've not reached either stage yet, but we're looking forward to opening day in Yellowstone National Park.
.. Our scouting trip this year will combine stream observation with vista observation. Not in the name of art, rather in the name of getting to the best places first.
.. The big images are going to be challenging. Exposure times in the minutes, reciprocity failure, temperature corrections, apertures in the hundreds, and aiming with crude sighting devices should make the venture rewarding. In our case it's as much about observing as it is about the final image.

.. We'll not be posting any fuzzy, ugly, indecipherable images during the season, (we make and break promises with ease,) but we shall take a fresh look at some of the iconic images in Yellowstone Park before the fishing starts.
.. And, why mention this at all? Because Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is just around the corner. It happens on the last Sunday in April, (that's April 24, 2011 - Easter Sunday, this year.)

.. Pinhole fanatics around the globe will take a picture and post it to the website. A snapshot in time that happens every year. We're sending them one from the high country and, meager as it is; it's our contribution.
.. P.S. The fishing and catching, by the way, is now going great guns in the Gallatin River Canyon. After we've fished out all the good holes we'll let you know where it was best.

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It's Just Nuts

NEIGHBORS GONE WILD

Fish Completely Bonkers

the worms crawl in

MYSTERIOUS VISITOR FROM ENGLAND

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.. It is the best of times and the worst of times. Fly fishers below the ice, and fly fishers in open water are using the same flies and doing very well.
.. It's so good that fish are jumping into waders. It's so bad that exotic license plates are outnumbering the neighbor's plates.

GARDEN HACKLE

.. The switch to artificial worms is early this year. There are some skeptics that poo-poo the San Juan Worm as not fly fishing.
.. Well it may or may not be. Orvis sells them in their fly catalog. Orvis also sells several other "non-fly-fishing-flies." The neighbors love them. The fish eat them with gay abandon.
.. Even the Gob O Worms has made it appearance early and is scoring fish in the 5-pound class, (through the ice.)
.. And then there's the fly at the top of the post. We don't know it's name but it comes from England. We committed the unpardonable sin of stealing it from a neighbor's fly box while their back was turned, (toward us and behind a bush.)
.. We have apologized and further humbled our self in the effort to find out the name and source for this segmented wiggler - to no avail. Our misdeed has sealed the lips of the former friend. The damn thing looks like it's molded of vinyl or some such and reminds us of a sunfish lure, (even though it's not yellow. Now there's a thought!)
.. Several times each year we receive grief in major doses from the neighbors for revealing secrets of place or kind. This post is sure to bring down a flood of ire as well.
.. For the uninitiated we show the various non-flies that the neighbors are using right now. These things are usually tied at home but, many are now available commercially. Even if you eschew their use, they will provide excellent conversation starters and stoppers.

SAN JUAN WORM

.. The San Juan Worm is often called THE DEVIL WORM. It has become a staple of fishers that want to catch fish. Many pretend it's an imitation of a Herculean blood worm. That may be. Perhaps fish dream of these things and lose control when one floats by. Currently the red variety is in vogue on the rivers while the purple or two-toned variety is being used under the ice.

GOB O WORMS

.. The Gob O Worms is a much disparaged cluster of San Juan Worms on the same hook. It has the distinction of being invented locally, (or so we've been told.)
.. It can spark vile and evil outbursts from fishers that are usually friends, (LINK.)
.. It is featured on websites around the region, (LINK,) and is now sold commercially by Idylwilde Flies, HERE. And sold as well by the Driftless Angler, HERE.
.. Purple, puce, flesh, and red colors are all being used right now. The fish are inhaling these at a record pace.

APPS BLOOD WORM

.. This year many of the neighbors that usually kindly provide us with flies have turned to the Orvis Catalog. There are some offerings that suit their fancy and they bought some for pattern prototypes.
.. The Apps Blood Worm is the current favorite from Orvis, (LINK.) It turns out that the fly is just a San Juan Worm with some "flexi floss" tied through the body and separated at the bow and stern. The little red darling is not as effective under the ice as on the river. But on the river it's quite the phenomenon.

MEDUSA (red)

.. Another San Juan Worm variant from Orvis is the Medusa, (LINK.) This is, presumably, a fly that will not get you funny looks from your friends.
.. It's supposed to represent a blood worm cluster, CLUSTER WHAT? It is sold in several colors which suggests that blood worms are chameleons, or have projectile tongues, or some such. This creation is yet another SJW variant with a fat body and clipped floss.

MEDUSA (pink)

.. The pink variety featured by Casters Online Fly Shop is doing well under the ice. It's being used with bits of garden hackle and the fish seem to prefer the artificial.
.. Most of the neighbors, feel that both varieties are the same species and that the folks that tie for Orvis ran out of red and used pink.

SHAKY WORM

.. A minority opinion is that the red is male and the pink is female. As soon as we capture some in the seine we'll let you know.
.. Orvis is kind enough to provide even another interesting worm imitation called the SHAKY WORM. It's similar to the rest of these SJW variants but has a pretty glossy body. It also comes with a bit of Phly Phising Philosophy.

MONEY QUOTE FROM ORVIS:

This is not fly fishing heresy. The fact is trout eat worms and not just the ones we fish with. Worms exist in the stream and imitating a worm with artificial patterns is no different than imitating an insect. If it works, use it. Trout fishing worm pattern in red.

.. We suspect that if these things catch fish in the numbers that the neighbors are reporting that feather merchants across the continent will get in on the selling.
.. It will be interesting to see if the local purists eschew profits for disdainful posturing. Now there's a can of . . . .

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Short Time Coming

KISS YOUR FELT GOODBYE

And Your Ass Too ?

will you sterilize your rubbers ?

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.. Briefly: Montana introduces legislation to ban felt soled waders. Check out the posts at The Trout Underground and comments at The Headhunter. Read carefully the comment by Earl James. We're not home free yet!

.. The tons of soil and supposed included micro organisms moved around by wading fishers is documented in a masters thesis from MSU, (LINK.)
.. The proposed amended Montana Legislation is HERE. And, just like the U.S. Congress exempts itself from many of the laws it makes, Montana exempts it's employees and emergency personnel from the ban. Is there a message here?
.. We're sure that this is not a cure all; and, further believe that the wader manufacturers still need to go a long way into providing better gripping rubber, (or whatever,) soles.
.. We predict that sales of the wading staff will skyrocket in the near future.
.. We also predict that there will now be less cleaning of wading gear, (including the newly-sold wading staffs,) than prior to the legislation
.. How about some legislation mandating the cleaning of wading gear? See how far that boat floats!

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Serious About Digital ? Lego or Leica?

IT'S TODAY'S WAY

Do The Research

spend the money & time
or get a LEGO

(Click on image to learn about LEGO digital camera.)

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.. We have some friends that enter a stream with over $5,000 worth of gear on and about their body and enjoy fishing with a fly. The combined total of rod, reel, line, (and spares,) waders, boots, staff, vest, gadgets, and hundreds of flies, (@ $2.00/ea.,) can make $5,000 seem spartan. These are serious fly-guys and fly-gals. (And not one of them uses a $9,000 Hardy.)
.. We also have a couple of friends that enter Yellowstone National Park with five times that amount around their neck and in their camera bag. Think of it! Enjoy nature with the price of a new SUV in tow. Not to mention what brought them.
.. The digital revolution sneaked up on us starting about 1978. Printed circuits and digital compensation were incorporated into the top film cameras in the 80's & then BINGO, we were taken.
.. Film may still hold a slight edge for some work but pixels are coming on strong. In-camera processing is making enormous leaps and the gear is good - nay, very good.
.. If you, unlike us, are serious, (or want to be,) about taking the ultimate photographs of your fishing adventure it will cost both time and money.
.. Lets be clear about this: not swell photos, not good images, not excellent renditions, and certainly not snapshots - BUT - EXTRAORDINARILY SPECTACULAR IMAGES.
.. And, not just one a day, or one a week, or one per fishing trip; but time after time, after time.
.. First, keep in mind that the camera and lens are just tools. In the beginning, don't even consider what brand or format to use. Unless you are wedded to an emotional state of "camera-kind;" the camera is not the place to start.
.. Plan your seriousness by budgeting for an unusually competent computer. Time was when Apple had the edge.
.. Now, software is king and graphics cards for the PC can do much more. Brands are for arguing, competence is king in this arena.
.. The damn graphics card will cost between $600 and $1,800 and you might want to consider two of them. If you are really serious $6,000 for the box is not out of line. Two large monitors at minimum are necessary, (are you really serious?)
.. Then comes the software. From Photoshop to DxO Optics-Pro there is a pile of software to make your images really pop.
.. Budget no less than another $5,000 for the complete image management software suite. This will allow your work-flow to proceed apace with your commitment and talent.
.. The digital revolution is making pretty good photographers out of snap-shooters.
.. Gear is very good and getting better at an exceptional pace. Even pros have a hard time keeping up.
.. Once your "darkroom" is configured it's time to look at camera bodies and lenses.
.. The long standing tug-o-war between Nikon & Canon has continued into the digital arena. People less serious about images can still be heard wrangling about brands and features.
.. There are serious new players in the digital arena. Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, and even the venerable Leica (with a $6,000 digital rangefinder camera, and a $22,000 DSLR with dual shutters,) have some features and capabilities not matched by the big two.
.. It's a whole new ball game and even the pros are spending mega-bucks on "other brands" in an effort to gain an edge.
.. The feature set for your type of photography should be the deciding factor in choosing your tools. Bite the bullet and commit to lenses before bodies.
.. There are piles of exceptional lenses available. A $2,600 lens is cheap if it allows you to capture the ultimate image. It's still a bargain if you get close to the result you want - the software will bring your vision to the fore.
.. You just can't have one camera body. Two is the minimum number. Some pros consider 4 as the bare essential. More Bullet Biting!
.. The format, (FX or DX,) is really a concern if you are going to print large. But all women know that size does matter. Go with the FX - just in case. Figure about $2,500 to $5,000, (or more,) per body.
.. Money, unhappily is the least of your worries, (are you really serious?) Time is critical. With auto everything and a motor drive, 20 frames are exposed where one or two used to be sufficient. Winnowing, selecting, evaluating, culling and reserving for processing take time.
.. Processing and reprocessing, and even more processing take even more time.
.. What? You didn't use auto everything? Did you calibrate the white balance for the scene and subject? That's more time, even before you shoot.
.. Trust the camera 100%? Is good good enough? More processing time. Background too sharp? More processing. Fused dust on the sensor? More processing. Time, time, time.
.. Remember, we're talking seriousness. There is, after all, a dumpster full of good images that appear daily on the web. Several times that many good images are printed each hour across the continent.
.. Many are grab shots and snapshots. The equipment is just that good now.
.. But you are planning to be serious. Every shot needs to surpass good. It should be exceptional at worst; spectacular at best.
.. We would wager a dime, or maybe more, That there are more serious photographers than fly fishers. Think of the time and money!
.. And we haven't even mentioned fluid head tripods, equipment cases, batteries, auxiliary flash units, or high speed SDHC cards. OR -> a new laptop for shooting tethered!
.. No mention has even been made about printers, inks, or aluminum either. {{ALUMINUM? Yup, the medium that will soon replace paper for seriously spectacular images!}}
.. Even if it is, (and we concede that it usually is,) the eye behind the lens; it still takes about $50,000 to be serious about your digital images.
.. Then, the invention of an 80 hour work week would be a useful addition to seriousness.
.. We won't even mention travel to spectacular locations, workshops, tutorials, and contracts. That would be just too serious for us. How about you? - - - YIPES, when would you fish?

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.. If you are even half-way serious about your outdoor photography you already know about OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER. We were clued into a secret URL (shown legally below,) at that site.
.. Try this for some videos that interest the serious photographers: http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/optv/all-videos.html?limitstart=0

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New Tools For Montana Fly Fishers

CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT NOW

.. The essential tools for Montana fly fishers are similar in many respects to those used by fisher folks around the world.
.. Clippers are a must for tippets, fingernails, nose hairs, and other sundry small cutting chores.

.. The Orvis Zinger is mandatory for attaching implements of destruction that can put your eye out if released too suddenly. It now comes with a tape measure for accurate documentation of scale size on suspect species of fish.

.. The Multi-Tool is in fashion these days. The original multi tool is the Swiss Army Knife & it comes with a ruler and hook disgorger for those anglers asleep at the switch, it has a ring for your second zinger.
..Other available gadgets promise to confuse even the well initiated and will give genuine pleasure to the crowd at the pub as you divert the conversation away from your fishless day on the Firehole River. The one on the carabinier sports a titanium timepiece for timing chug-a-lug contests.

.. Hook Sharpeners are a staple and even come electrified for the progressive angler. Should you miss too many 'takes' you can always say that the batteries were dead.

.. Forceps are necessary and can be hung on your third zinger. Place them low on the side away from your casting hand, this aids in the necessary ambidextrous quality of an accomplished fly fisher.
.. They now come with flesh grabbing pincers to remove copious quantities of flesh as you try to get the hook out out of your companions ear.

.. Unique to the Montana gadget cluster is the addition of Dikes and Fence Pliers. The Montana legislature is currently wrestling with our constitution which allows access to the peoples' water.
.. Be sure to have both a good set of fence pliers for removing staples on offensive signs, and a good set of diagonal cutters for smartly clipping wire that may inhibit livestock from accessing water and dying of thirst. Both are now available with padded and cushioned grips.
.. Vise grip fence pliers are useful for holding together a broken strand of wire that you discover in your adventures. The quick release feature guarantees rapid egress in emergency situations.

.. A Copy of the Montana Constitution is useful for confronting belligerent shylocks. All necessary tools are compact and will fit nicely in the bottom of your lunch sack.

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.. It's noon, bright overcast, and time for brunch and a replay of yesterday's glorious sport on the Madison River, the fish have awakened with a vengeance. Go to the bottom of the page and practice on the map.