Respect for fish and for film making

Even though I have never fished out West for steelhead, my respect for these fish can never be second guessed.  Also understanding how much it costs to deliver films and videos to the public check this video out.  Here is a short link as well – http://kck.st/15rmFpt

2013 Last Muskie

Did a quick post about the last day, and now here is a picture of the last muskie of 2013.  Great fish Frank, nice job!

Last Day Chasing Muskie

 sunrise on muskie waters

My 2013 Muskie chase has come to an end as of today, but had one of the best sun rises of the year.  Brings to mind the old sailors saying.  Red Sky in the morning, sailors take warning.  As the last day brought with it 20-30 mph winds that chased us off a little early.  Now back to my home waters and the steelhead chase begins in full swing.  It’s truly a mix bag of emotions though.  While Muskie absorb you in every way and almost eat at your sole, I do love my leaping, jumping, cartwheeling, quick-running, dime silver friends that I will be coming home too.  I will miss the muskie waters and look forward to the chase in 2014.  During the winter thoughts and patterns will be developed and new techniques will come to mind. If any of this muskie stuff interests you I am booking additional muskie fly fishing guide days in 2014.  Feel free to contact me direct at jray@mangledfly.com

Thank you to all that joined me this fall season!

 

Picture of the Day – Biggest Muskie for Jerome to date

Jerome S. who started this adventure 3 years ago, today achieved a new PB (personal best) muskie.  Great fish Jerome, nice job.  Any muskie on a fly is a great fish, but some are always a little more special.

2013 Fall Steelhead season is under way!

David S. pictured below with a great example of what my life will be obsessed with over the next 5 months.  Fall fish look in great shape so far, they are big and they are mean.  Can’t wait to stretch out some line and get the two-hander firing once again.

David is also wearing the Mangled Fly Hoodie, great way to keep warm on those cold morning starts.  One of the best Hoodies I have found, and personally I wear a hoodie almost everyday on the river.

True Mangled Fly

The death of a fly at the hands of a fish, is the inspiration that started the name Mangled Fly Media.The sad part of this story is this fly was never the same.  After Mr. Esox got ahold of it and turned it into true Mangled Fly.  It did not swim right ever again.  We had to put to rest this buck tail, rabbit strip, rubber leg, flashabou creation.  Will always have found memories of the fish we shared.

So close I can taste it.

If you follow the blog and or if you know me personally you know fall is one of my favorite times.  Being busy chasing the muskie has caused a little bit of jealousy on my part of my fellow guides finding some of the early steelhead back home on the Manistee.  But I will be back home shortly chasing the fish that I love.  At this time I have a cancellation on Oct 8th if anybody is interested.  Contact me via email or text my cell.

New Mangled Fly Sticker Spotted

Bob Hinds sent in a picture of his new RO boat sporting a new Mangled Fly Media sticker.  Looking good Bob, thanks for the picture.

mangled fly media sticker

New Steelhead Sticker

While the sea-run steelhead of the West Coast get a lot of attention, we think our Great Lakes steelhead are special, too. This is our take on the Midwest’s unique “Low Sodium” version of these epic migratory beasts. The 6” oval sticker is perfect to show the Great Lakes steelhead scene some love on your truck, boat, cooler – or just about anywhere else you can think of.

Link to Steelhead Sticker

steelhead sticker

2013 week 1 Muskie Adventure

Well not really a week but 12 days of Muskie 2013 just came to an end, still have 3 more days planned and can’t wait to get back.  Wanted to throw up a quick pic, and give a couple highlights to the first part of the adventure.

    • First trip was 2 days with two new muskie anglers and we popped the muskie cherry on day one.  With each angler landing muskie, as I reported in a previous post we found the first tiger muskie on that trip.
    • First muskie on topwater was accomplished going into the next week.  Have this also on video and will be editing this with Erik Rambo.  Muskie video highlights from a couple days filming above and below the surface will be coming shortly.  Look for more on that soon.
    • Had a chance to guide two women for the first time for Muskie, with a bunch of rain falling the day before river came up and seemed like most fish changed there feeding lines, but we did land a Muskie that day along with a half dozen pike.  Ann M. picture to the (lower right) with her first ever Muskie on a fly.

 

  • Jay Hickey (below) first time Muskie angler with his first and also my biggest fish of the trip, was an end to the first part.  Great fish Jay!