The Art of VK Steelworks

Stumbling into the vast sea of "stuff" that is the Somerset, NJ Fly Fishing Show yesterday, one of the first things that immediately caught my eye was a stunning wall sculpture of a wet fly made of steel, looking aggressively medieval.  Actually, I think my reaction was, "damn, that's crazy..." as I went in for a closer look.

the Blackmore.610.VKS

Once in the booth, Matt (aka Functioning Fishaholic, who made the trip to NJ with me) & I were greeted by Val Kropiwnicki of VK Steelworks, who eagerly showed off this beautiful piece of art, in addition to many other smaller flies that were pretty much beyond anything I had seen before.  I'm not exactly sure what you'd call them, perhaps fly tying with a touch of fantasy...but do I know you would not want to get stuck by the "Circus Circus" during an errant backcast!!!

the Circus Circus.710.NP
(would love to see Val's interpretation of a Sakasa Kebari)

Honestly, I could go on, but anything I write will not really give this work justice.  It's so visual in nature, I'm going to stop with the adjectives now.  Instead, please click HERE and then click on the "Play Slideshow" link in the middle of the page.  Believe me, it's worth the few minutes it takes to view.

And if that piques your interest, please also check out the full VK Steelworks website.  

In a show filled with amazing fly tiers, $3,000+ bamboo fly rods, and beautifully machined reels, Val's work really stood out from the rest as something distinctively unique.  It was my honor to see these flies in person, and a great way to start the day at the Fly Fishing Show.

Gear Review - The Dead Drift DVD

Anybody who knows me also knows that my tenkara rod fully telescopes every time I think about fishing in New Zealand.  So when Steve from Stealth Films dropped me a note about a month ago offering up a copy of his DVD "The Dead Drift," there was no way I was going to turn that down.  I mean that would just be crazy talk.

Not really knowing what "The Dead Drift" was all about, I settled in to watch it last weekend, eagerly anticipating beautiful landscapes and big ass NZ trout.

Well it didn't disappoint.

Hosted by Dean Bell, of Blue Ribbon Wilderness Guides, "The Dead Drift" is basically a 60+ minute long video on how to spot trout, read water, and manipulate your flies properly in several different real-world fishing situations as he takes us into the Wilderness Waters of Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand.

Now for those of you that prefer your fly fishing movies to be more entertainment than instructional, this one probably isn't for you.  Just being honest.  This ain't Eastern Rises...or heck, it also isn't Once In A Blue Moon.  There's no fly in or fly over footage, no bearded trout bums, and no product placements.  

However what you will watch is some technical and tactical fishing analysis on some of the most beautiful gin clear water you'll ever see.  Don't worry, there is no shortage of fish porn, as Dean plucks pig after pig out of just about every nook and cranny of these streams with ridiculous regularity.  He just happens to do it in a relatively calm and straightforward fashion, explaining what he is doing as he goes along, as opposed to being accompanied by a death metal soundtrack coupled with a warm can of celebratory PBR. 

So is this DVD worth watching?  For general entertainment, maybe, maybe not.  If you like stories and narratives, go watch Hatch or Low & Clear instead.  However if you want to learn something that might help you catch more fish, then yes, by all means pick up a copy of "The Dead Drift" and watch as your head swells with all sort of newly acquired knowledge.

Don't believe me?  Check out some prior reviews of this DVD from different bloggers here, here or here.  And if so inclined, you can also buy your own copy here or here.

DISCLAIMER:
The Dead Drift DVD viewed in this product review was provided to me at no cost, but holds a retail value of $32.90 (US) per the manufacturer's website. I currently hold no association with Stealth Films, Steve Couper, Dean Bell, or Blue Ribbon Wilderness Guides whatsoever, however should I ever attack my bucket list and get down to New Zealand, I know who I'm getting a hold of.   As with all independent gear reviews at Troutrageous!, I try my best to keep my reviews honest and unbiased. If something is good, it deserves applause; if it sucks, I'll let you know that too. It ain't in my interest to steer you wrong, so why waste the time in doing so?

Social Media - Yet Another Reason Why Klout Is Stupid

If you squinted hard enough to read that first Klout "Notification," no, that wasn't Photoshopped.
To quote:

"Klout believes you are influential in Congress."  

Let that soak in for a minute.

(Putting Klout's ridiculously erratic scoring method aside), if that is true, America has far more to worry about than we thought...

+Ks & T! stickers for everyone!


Postscript:  
Have no idea what Klout is or why I'm doling out +Ks?  No, it has nothing to do with cereal or Marts, and don't worry, most people haven't heard about it either.  Just uber dorks like me.  If you want to learn more about it, click here, but be forewarned, you're probably better off not getting involved in such shenanigans and tomfoolery.

Enough 'Tenkara Is A Fad' Already...

Okay, this "Tenkara Is A Fad" thing has gotten a little out of control.  Daniel Galhardo, (aka Mr. Tenkara USA) tweeted - and then later wrote a blog post - about a recent run in with Lefty Kreh and bloggers start writing up a storm, both pro & con.  We got this guy, this guy, this guy, and this guy just as examples.  There are a lot more, but I choose not to bore you by piling on.  Just Google "Tenkara is a fad" and you'll get more reading than you could possibly handle on such a meaningless topic.

Is tenkara a fad?  Other than Daniel, who has a business interest in tenkara, who really cares?  It might be a fad, but then again "authorities" on particular subjects have been wrong in the past...

Babe Ruth - He'll never become a good hitter, right?

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
-- Western Union internal memo, 1876.

"Taking the best left-handed pitcher in baseball and converting him into a right fielder is one of the dumbest things I ever heard."
-- Tris Speaker, baseball expert, talking about Babe Ruth, 1919

"Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
-- H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

"Television won't last because people will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night."
-- Darryl Zanuck, movie producer, 20th Century Fox, 1946

"You ain't going nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck."
-- Jim Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, in firing Elvis Presley after a performance, 1954

"Groups are out. Four-piece groups with guitars particularly are finished."
-- Dick Rowe, Decca Recording Company executive, 1962 (turning down The Beatles)

"With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market."
-- Business Week, August 2, 1968.


Is it a big leap to put tenkara in the class of television, Elvis Presley, & Babe Ruth?   Probably, but I'm sure you can also see my point.  Experts know a lot about their particular field, that's how they become experts, and their views are right a lot of the time.  However, sometimes experts are wrong.  It happens.

Lefty might be right.  Who knows.  Who cares.  He is but one voice in a sea of fisherfolk.  Is it really even worthy of debate?

Another Week, Another Airport

The drive to and from the airport has been far too familiar the past few weeks. I'll be pretty quiet through probably Wednesday. In the meantime, enjoy the peace and quiet...