Travel – Page 2 – Sporting Road

Ten Tips for Becoming A Better Grouse Hunter

Have an Uncle Who’s Part Indian. I am not being cute or clever. My heritage is part Sioux Indian and there is something to be learned from our Native Americans when it comes to forest craft, it's not just all folk-lore. While Indians have a legendary reputation for being quieter and more stealthy in the woods, it's for good reason, but we could argue whether that is due to nature or nurture. Whatever the reason and if you weren't born with it, see what you can learn from someone skilled in this manner of stealthy stalking and it doesn’t matter if it is applied on big game or upland birds, it’s better than the alternative of bashing through the woods scaring every grouse out of the other end of it before you even step foot in the beginning of the other end of the woods. Better yet, adopt an "uncle" born or skilled in these crafts. Learn to shoot a shotgun and learn to shoot it well. We attended Buz Fawcett’s Wingshooting Workshop many times now, in efforts to become Master Shotgunners. If you hit what you can see and learn to shoot instinctively, you will be a better grouse hunter. Bring a picnic on the grouse moor. You never know when you will need fortitude from the elements or simply from your own psyche, if it's a less than stellar day. We always bring a French picnic, complete with some red wine, pate’ from birds gone by, cheese course, salad and other treats. Stuff enough shells in your bag, but not too many to begin to think you you have enough to afford to miss. My friend, Paul, grew up in rural Nebraska and his father was a professional assassin for coyotes and other predators, working for the National

By Sporting Road|October 8th, 2011|Categories: Cuisine, Picnic, Recipes, Travel, Wingshooting|Comments Off

Fly Fishing La Loue in the Jura

The French Jura region bordering Switzerland are beautiful and amazing, even for those of us living in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains. The streams in the Jura deserve their reputation as the best in France. Excepting the fame created by Charles Ritz's writings of the chalk streams of Normandy, the Jura is one of the rare regions in France with an international fly fishing reputation. There are many places that I fell in love with in France, but the Jura has something special and unique--the landscapes, the rivers, trout and grayling, the fly fishers and even the flies. Add the hospitable nature of the people, warm welcome at the hotels, and the rich and original gastronomy, lexapro. It is one of the few regions which produces both good cheese and good wine, which is rare to have both in France due to the differing climates required for dairy cattle versus grape production. The scenery is spectacular, from the river valley to the high plateaus. Sightseeing the source of the Loue is worth the short drive and hike. Also, the trips to the neighboring towns along the valley, prove to have enough to interest everyone from shopping, sightseeing, gourmet shops for the famed Comte cheese, local wine suppliers offering great wines at very inexpensive prices, and quaint outdoor cafes for a anise-flavored pastis to cool ourselves and warm our hearts. Parts of the valley reminded me of Venice where the river meets the houses built on stilts. Enough of the setting, let’s get down to fishing. The only downside to fishing the Jura is that the local fishing rules are impossible to understand, even for the locals (even Nick de Toldi, who guides there regularly, promised they would be

By Sporting Road|October 2nd, 2011|Categories: Fishing, France, Travel|Comments Off

The International Fario Club

Charles Ritz, of the Ritz hotel fortune, spent considerable time studying the art of fly fishing in the American West, England, and France. His book, A Flyfisher's Life, is one of the few books in the English language discussing fly fishing in France. In the 1930's he became an authority on fly fishing in France and invented the parabolic fly rod, which is still used, and which was commercially produced by ABU Garcia. Mr. Ritz was an advocate of the high speed - high line style of fly casting. He founded the "Fario Club", which was the most select fishing club in the world during the later part of the twentieth century and remains so today. We enjoy regular gatherings in Paris and around the world, to enjoy the camaraderie of others similarly suited. The Club's website is presently being revamped, but it can be found at www.farioclub.org. The "Pays d'Auge" region is made up of the port towns two hours north of Paris, including Honfleur, Deauville and Trouville. It takes like two small hours to drive from Paris. After driving through the lush fields where dairy cows are milked for production of Camembert, Pont-Lévèque & Livarot, and passing apple tree after apple tree, so it is no surprise that Calvados is offered at every turn in the countryside, we followed in Charles Ritz's footsteps staying the same place he did at the mill of Aclou on the river Risle. The "Aclou Reach" is often mentioned as his favorite fishing spot, home to the brown trout. Pezon Et Michel Ritz Super Parabolic PPP Fario Club bamboo fly rod. This rod is 8’ 6” long and it is rated for 5-6wt fly lines.

By Sporting Road|October 2nd, 2011|Categories: Fishing, France, Travel|Comments Off