Lake Erie Steelhead Fishing Report 12/27/13

          First off, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone. It has been a great year of fishing for everyone; and I hope more is to come! Our family went up to Buffalo, NY for a couple days after Christmas to visit family. The location of Buffalo cannot be any better for someone targeting some steelhead or brown trout. Lake Erie has many tributaries right around the Buffalo area that produce mass fish, such as the famed “Cat” or Cattaraugus. Most of the Erie tribs lay to the south of Buffalo, but fishing is just as good to the north. Here the Lake Ontario tribs can be fished. These are not only famous for their steelhead and salmon fishing, but they have an unbelievable run of browns. Browns in the 20-25” range are the norm here. Browns are caught that easily exceed 20lbs!

One of the smaller guys, but great colors.

Mad River Fishing Report 12/18/13

          Yesterday Nick and I headed north to the Mad River to do some trout fishing. The temperatures stayed very low all day. Our guides never melted all day, we were constantly picking ice out of them all day. The river was in pretty good condition. It was running a little clear but the flows were great. The USGS station at Urbana was registering flows at 123 cfs. The sun was out all day and the winds stayed down for most of the day too. All in all, we had a pretty good day.

Mad River gold

Fall Fishing 2013

Here is a little tribute to the fishing that we did this fall.

-Alex

December 15 Upland Hunt

  

       I got to spend part of the day Sunday hunting with Bob Schiff at Shags Run. We shot Chukar and Pheasant since the day was a bit wet. Quail don't fly as well under these conditions. Even though Bob was a seasoned shooter, he was new to upland bird hunting. I hope we gave him a good introduction to this pastime. Bob shot very well. Since it was just the two of us I had Billy put out some birds for me as well.
        I still have spots available January 18th, February 8th, and March 16th. I'd love the show the farm off to you. It is one of my favorite places.
-Luke

Saltwater photos of the week

why not come to the Bahamas with us in February?  contact Chip for information (513-871-FISH) or click here

We received 20 boxes of Patagonia yesterday and 105 boxes of Barbour today

Chukar pizza at A Tavola

We stopped in to A Tavola in OTR the night before Thanksgiving to start to holiday off right.
Nic and Jared were hanging out and when they saw me come in they threw together a chukar pizza from the birds we harvested last Sunday (see story here).
It was really good!  The reason was the ingredients.  They use only the best and it shows.  The flavors were very unique.

if you do not know what a chukar is, here is a photo

Happy Thanksgiving from D&H

we are closed on Thanksgiving
Friday 10-6
Saturday 10-6
Sunday 11-5

513-871-FISH

Brookville Fishing Report 11/26/13

          Nick and I headed out to Brookville this morning for some streamer fishing. The water was the highest that either of us had ever fished it before. The gauge was registering the depth at about 4.7 ft. With this said we both threw on heavy flies with heavy sinking tips and sink lines. In conditions like this, use about three feet of 10 lb Rio saltwater fluorocarbon for the leader. The whole day Nick and I fished slow and deep. We were both using an Olive Zuddler streamer variation. Using this fly, I hooked into a beast of a brown trout. He hit the 24" mark on the measuring tape.

A Tavola Pizza Bird Hunt

 

      When Nick and Jared Wayne of A Tavola Pizza first came to us about hosting a bird hunt for their managers, we were a little unsure since most of the young men had never done any hunting and very few had ever done any shooting.  After a bit of head scratching, we came up with a solid plan to give the guys a great experience while keeping everything safe and fun.  We decided immediately that Shags Run was the place to do it.  Leading up to the hunt we were all a bit apprehensive, but I think it is safe to say, everyone involved had a great experience.

Upland Hunting Report: November 23

         
        I had the pleasure of hunting with Phil Montanus, David Martin and his son-in-law, Aaron at Shags Run hunt club today. This was one of the D&H Upland hunts. Look below for more pictures. 

Look what is in the D&H showcases!

Chip was organizing our showcases the other day and I thought I would snap some photos before the crazy Christmas onslaught is upon us.  Stop in the shop and take a look at the unique items we have to offer.  Many of the items in the case are also on our web site if you can't make it to the Hyde Park Square shop: BestGear.com

Le Chameau Men's Country boots at D&H

Delamere & Hopkins has been stocking Le Chameau rubber boots in the Cincinnati shop for over fifteen years.  We have many different models, but the Country is a good choice for guys that want a 100% natural rubber boot without breaking the bank.  The weather is almost here, so stop in the Hyde Park Square shop and try on a pair.

The Le Chameau Men's Country All Tracks Wellie Boot - as sturdy and reliable as it gets for all of your outdoor needs.

Hudson's Bay and Swiss Army

Delamere & Hopkins has been selling Swiss Army knives since 1994.  In fact, the very first item we sold on September 1, 1994 was a classic red Swiss Army knife to a lady that was next door picking up her dry cleaning.  D&H has also sold Hudson's Bay blankets since we first opened.  Now we have Husdon's Bay Swiss Army knives in the Hyde Park Square shop.

We also have a bunch of new blankets from Woolrich.

New Flies at the Shop

      Delamere & Hopkins just received our first shipment of flies from Catch Fly Fishing today. Catch is a fly company based out of Billings, Montana. They tie a variety of patterns both large and small. Our first order reflected this. I made this order with winter fishing at Brookville and on the Mad in mind. Here's a sneak peak at some of what came in.  Stop in the Hyde Park Square shop on take a look at the new patterns.

Midges and Dries

Flexi-Midge Cream

Spent Midge

Griffith's Gnat Hi-Viz

Juju Chironomid Midge

Hare's Ear Klinkhammer

Mercury Midge, Cream

 For the streamer set

Circus Peanut, Black

Eric's Improved Fathead, Ghost

Lady Gaga, Variant Red

Good Luck on the water.
-Luke

Delamere & Hopkins
Mon-Thurs 10-8
Fri-Sat 10-6
Sunday 11-5

Almost Deer Season...

     All this nice cold weather has got me thinking about the deer season coming up right after Thanksgiving. I am a pretty low-key deer hunter but I still get pretty excited about the season. Of course the preparations are half the fun. I have been introducing Louis to deer hunting the last few years and I think we are going to be bit more serious this year. It's nice to have someone to hunt with since in the past I have hunted alone a lot.This week has been a great week for preparing. It has been a great week to hang out outside.

Steelhead Alley Fishing Report 11/8/13 - 11/11/13

          I finally got the chance this past weekend to fish some of the Lake Erie tribs. After missing the spring run because of my knee surgeries, I have been dreaming of this weekend for many months. I arrived in the Cleveland area on Friday and left Monday. I was able to have some solid days of fishing over those four days.

Wow! we just received 900 lbs of Barbour this morning. It will be like Christmas morning unpacking it all today.

new items to arrive at the shop: Hudson's Bay bath towels

Alexander's "Season in Review" Video

      This is a collection of fishing experiences that Alexander shared with some of the other guys from the shop. Video is better with the sound "on". Hope this gets you looking forward to next year. We will continue guiding and fishing throughout the winter if you are interested, call the shop. 513-871-3474
-Luke and Alex

Fly Tying Classes

You're invited....

Introduction to Fly Tying      

 Join us this winter to learn how to tie flies. We will have three sessions, each lasts three weeks and meets once a week. The first session will be December 3, 10 and 17.  The second session will be January 9, 16 and 23.  The third session will be February 13, 20 and 27.

This class will give you a solid foundation of fly tying.  We will talk about the different tools, materials, hooks and techniques.  This knowledge will be used to construct three different types of flies, each utilizing different techniques.  We will tie streamers, nymphs and dry flies.  The proper way to fish each pattern will also be discussed.  Upon class completion, you will be able to use fly recipes to tie many common flies.  All materials and tools must be provided by the student.  Classes will be limited to five students.

The cost is $75.00 per student.  The class will span three 1-1/2 hour sessions.

    

Private Fly Tying Classes

            From beginners to seasoned fly tiers, if you want to improve your technique on a one-on-one level , this class is for you.  Advanced techniques and proper form will be taught by an expert fly tier.  Students may pick the patterns they wish to improve on or learn.  This is a perfect way to get ready for the next adventure.

           

Instruction possibilities include:

            -Local Water Flies

            -Bass Flies: deer hair or other

            -Foam Body Flies

            -Trout Flies

            -Saltwater Flies

            -Steelhead and Salmon Flies

            -fill your box for your next big trip

Dates and times may be scheduled by request.

The cost is $45.00 per hour.  One and two hour classes are available.  All tools and materials must be provided by the student.   

All fly tying materials, tools and accessories will be discounted 10% the night of the class for all fly tying students.  If you have any questions about the classes, please contact Louis at 513-871-3474 or shop@BestGear.com.

 

First Upland Hunt of the Year! November 23rd

   Break out your Filson and Side by Side... It's Bird Season!!    
   
 We will be hosting our first Upland hunt of the year on November 23rd. Please join us as we have a blast working the hills and hollers of Billy Gerwins' Shags Run hunt club.

We will have a total of five hunts:

November 23

December15

January 18

Feburary 8

March 16

  If these dates do not work for your schedule or situation, we would be happy to help you plan a private hunt.

Briarwood-Finally a Big Fish!!

       I had a great morning with Mark, Kim, Conner, and Dylan Howell at Briarwood. They were enjoying their "fall break" with a bit of trout fishing and pheasant hunting at another property. It was a cold morning for sure. I left Cincinnati at about 5:00 a.m. and my truck thermometer read 38 degrees. By the time I arrived at the club at 7:00 the truck read 29 degrees. But we caught fish. 

 

Brookville Fishing Report 10/25/13

          Winter is fast approaching and the fish know it. The fish are in feeding mode, looking for any type of easy meal. Right now Brookville is a little high at 3.88 ft. This might not be ideal nymphing conditions, but it is an awesome time to throw some streamers. After two weeks of mid-terms, I decided what better way to unwind than to pick up a fly rod.

D&H customer with a nice mule deer

Peter Kennedy bagged this mule deer this October out West.

Early Season Duck Hunting

        Usually when I get invited to duck hunt it is mid-January and cold as a hell. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when a friend I met through the shop invited me to do some early season duck hunting this past weekend. The plan was to hunt a small creek for some Wood ducks and maybe a few Mallards.

       It was a really pretty morning. Clear and cold. Temps were a bit lower than I expected them to be but with a few layers of fleece, wool, and capilene I was pretty comfortable. We set out a few Wood duck and mallard decoys and found a comfortable place to sit and wait for it to get light.
 

A Muskie for Mitch!

          I don't know a whole lot of details, but I thought those of you who have fished in Montana with us would like this picture.  Lance and Mitch (both guides for Upper Canyon Ranch) head to Wisconsin after the Montana season is finished to fish and guide for muskie.  This is Mitch's first muskie.  It was a bit over 40 inches.  Pretty Cool and very much on my bucket list.

Wildlife management on the Little Miami River

Today at work I got a call from Louis, who was already fishing, saying that there was a boat shocking fish to document. I had to get down there to see this for myself. I have been fishing the little Miami on and off for about 10 years and have heard of, but never seen any wildlife management personnel in the process. It was very interesting to go and see the process as well as all of the fish that were shocked and then netted. The majority of the fish in the tank to my surprise were hybrid stripers and some big ones at that maxing out at around 10 lbs.

Barbour International Jacket

The first Barbour International jacket was put into production in 1936, offering a stylish utilitarian coat that has long been thrown on the backs of men over the years.

new items hitting the shop floor

new items in the shop: Barbour Men's Leedale Jacket

The Barbour Men's Leedale Waxed Jacket - from the Hacking collection, the Leedale reworks Barbour’s iconic Bedale jacket in a heavyweight 8oz Oban wax, for uncompromising winter protection.A new take on the original, the Leedale preserves the Bedale's trademark equestrian styling, relaxed fit, smart sit-down collar and moleskin-lined handwarmer pockets, but gives the classic theme a new interpretation.

A stylish Tattersall lining (shown in the pictures) is inspired by Barbour’s equestrian heritage and adds an eye-catching element, while the collar is a luxurious combination of wool and traditional corduroy. This gives the Leedale exceptional warmth and an incredibly soft feel against the skin – especially when raised and secured with the buckle-fastening collar strap. Another great feature is the easy slide in sleeves - no catching your sweater or shirt on the lining!

Retaining the Bedale’s renowned functionality, the Leedale features a two-way front zip with Barbour branded ring pull, a storm fly front with robust snap fastenings, generous bellow pockets and underarm eyelets for ventilation. Designed for those who are active outdoors, this hardy men's waxed jacket is the perfect winter companion.

Stop in the Cincinnati shop and try one this great looking jacket.
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Mon-Thurs  10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun  11-5
513-871-3474

Chasing Hybrids

      I picked this one up tonight on a chartreuse and white Half and Half fly. I was using a Sage Xi3 and Sage reel.

Here are a few more pictures from mornings and nights on the river.

 -Luke

Briarwood Lesson

      

            I had the pleasure of working with Connie Woods at Briarwood this weekend. Connie was a great student and we had a beautiful day to practice fly fishing. The club is really pretty this time of year. I hope I get to fish more with Connie in the future. 

-Luke

new items in the shop: Filson luggage

There are so many new items hitting the shop floor on a weekly basis that we can't keep up, but I thought I would take a minute to look at some of the new pieces of Filson luggage to arrive recently.

The buzz in the Filson luggage world is navy and we have a number of pieces in the Hyde Park Square shop.

Computer Bag 70258

Nice fall smallmouth on a 7 inch baitfish pattern. Biggest of my life. 20+ inches!