All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter - News

Here at All Points, the goal is to not only provide quality gear and travel opportunities for our customers and clients, but to also be a respected resource for useful information on fly fishing. Whether it's gear reviews and fly selection, or trip reports to tips and techniques - knowledge is power. The more you know, the more confidence you'll have on the water. This in turn can create more success on the water. Plus, it can help prepare those looking to take a trip so they can make the right choices before they leave. So, who better to ask about specific fishing regions than the guides that are on the water there every year?

This is the first installment of "Ask The Guide." These interviews will be with guides all over the world to help fly anglers get the real scoop! This first one is a conversation with Chris Williams who is a guide out of Riverkeep Lodge in Labrador, Canada. 

1. Name?

• Chris Williams

2. Dates/days of fishing season at Riverkeep?

• Mid June to the first week in September

3. When do the fish usually arrive in the river? Do they arrive at the same time?

• Landlocked salmon show up first usually by mid to late june; Lakers follow the salmon into the river and a few pike will be found. Whitefish and brook trout come in by mid July as the hatches draw them in combined with lower water levels and rising temperatures. As the water temperatures rise and the spawn is over for pike they will show in numbers by mid July as well.

4. What are the main insect hatches?

• Caddis flies, may flies and dunns are the main hatches. There are seasons when large green drakes and stone flies are numerous enough to be a factor.

5. When do these hatches happen?

• Air temperatures and water levels affect hatches. By mid July the conditions are usually prime for hatches to start; however, there are days prior to this that small numbers can be found and turn on dry fly fishing for short periods of time.

6. What are the main baitfish?

• Minnows, small burbot, and fry make up the main bait fish. They are usually found all season and streamer flies patterned to them work well.

7. What weight fly rods/lines do you suggest for fishing at Riverkeep?

• I would suggest 6 weight fly rod for dry and wet fly fishing. I would also recommend an 8 weight for pike fishing and trolling with streamers. If you are using a rod for trolling I would recommend a weighted line that gets you deep in a hurry. My opinion on trolling is if you're not hooking bottom sometimes you aren't deep enough.

8. What are your top 3 dry flies

1. Goddard caddis
2. Orange stimulator
3. Royal wulff/coachman with red in it.

9. What are you top 3 wet flies/streamers?

1. Bait fish patterns (all colours) with silver tinsel weighted body.
2. Egg sucking leech/woolly bugger patterns
3. Any small dry fly pattern in an emerger. These flies should retrieve just below surface with a very slow retrieval.

10. Best/biggest fish you’ve seen caught at Riverkeep?

• Brook trout = 10+lbs.
• Landlocked Salmon = 13+lbs.
• Laker = 36lbs.
• Whitefish = 8lbs.
• Northern Pike = 26lbs.

11. Top 3 suggestions for anyone who is coming to Riverkeep for the first time?

1. Come for the thrill of the adventure. Appreciate where you are and let the fishing take care of itself. Those who come gungho to catch a huge fish usually have the hardest time; too much self pressure hampers your ability.
2. Regardless of how much fishing experience you have listen to your guide. We have fished this water for years and know what it takes to be successful. Too many people will not not take advice and fishing any new water is different then any other place you've fished.  Even casting and retrieval may be different from what you are used to. If I advise you on how to play out a fish listen, often people get over excited and impatient when playing that fish of a lifetime.
3. If possible, ask to contact a guide or the camp before your trip. We can make suggestions and advise you on what you will or will not need to bring. It makes a connection with us before you arrive and starts a relationship. We want to see repeat customers and a good relationship is the key element to that.

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"This drag is really, really great." I have said this to myself on multiple occasions. Whether dialed back while applying lighter pressure on trout with 5x or 6x tippet, or higher pressure on saltwater species, this Torque Drag system is top notch. All of Galvan's reels share this system from the Rush LT to the Grip. It's a carbon fiber disc drag design that not only provides a lot of drag, but it's incredibly smooth with almost infinite settings. The low coefficient friction of the drag (low startup inertia) is evident. 

From Galvan:

"Although based on the compression disc drags of our original reels, the new smooth and reliable, state-of-the-art thermoplastic and carbon fiber disc drag requires minimal lubrication and virtually no maintenance. There are no ball bearings. Instead, a maintenance free, self-lubricating, HPV (high pressure velocity), hi-tech plastic bushing allows the spool near-frictionless rotation. Humidity will not affect its performance, nor will rain, salt spray or dunking while wading."

This, I believe, is Galvan's best asset. The Torque Drag system continues to attract attention from anglers. Whether they are trout anglers using lighter tippets, or big game fishermen who need that stopping power, little is left to be desired. What makes it unique is that it really suites both sides of the coin. Some reels have tons of drag (poundage) but the startup inertia is horrendous....others have smooth drags but cannot be adjusted accurately/are not hardy enough to deal with saltwater fishing/or have sacrificed somewhere else in the construction to save on cost. 

Fully made in the U.S.A. in Sonora, California, Galvan reels are machined from T6 bar stock (6061) aluminum and are completely anodized. Functionally, the biggest difference between the designs of the Rush LT vs the Torque is amount of porting. The spools on the Torque have more "cut-outs" which not only cuts down on weight but also provides for ventilation for the line and backing. This in turn can help cut down on saltwater "wear 'n tear" on the reels itself but also on the condition of your line and backing. In fact I did notice on my recent trip that the backing on my Rush LT after a long day of fishing was indeed wetter than that of the two Torques I had rigged up. 

Real Life Testing

This is where I like to take testing to another level. There is really no other (better) way to get the full idea of a product's worthiness than to bring it into the field. Additionally, bringing gear to places where I know its going to get a unique and extreme degree of testing is what can also offer some of the best feedback!

On a trip to Labrador, Canada I fished the Atikonak River (see trip report HERE). I exclusively fished Galvan reels. I specifically had the Torque rigged on a 6wt and 7wt for streamer fishing. These were the setups that got fished the most and also had the best action. After a full day of fishing, the reels would be set alongside the cabin, and would preform without a hiccup the next day.

Every fish seemed to need different drag settings. Various sized fish in addition to slower and faster moving water situations presented a number of slight adjustments to the drag. The way the drag knob and settings are manipulated on the Torque allow the angler a wide rage of options. I could make small turns of the drag knob which really helped me dial in exactly the appropriate drag for the given scenario. Some other reel companies either have smaller "adjustment windows," which provides less fine tuning, or a click-based number system (with no "in between numbers" option). This infinite-options deal I really enjoyed. 

From Galvan:

"Galvan microTune drag adjustment enables quick, precise adjustments to your drag when playing a hot fish. A large and easy-to-grip drag knob can prove essential in trying to manage drag resistance during a fight. Our large drag knobs are regarded as the top of their class, not just for their size and comfort but also for providing the most precise, super-fine drag adjustment on the market."

Reels Tested 

1. Galvan Torque T6 - Price: $410 - Weight: 5.2oz, Width: .95" 
2. Galvan Torque T8 - Price: $430 - Weight: 7.6oz, Width: 1.25" 

Both of these reels are light in their respective classes. With the continuing effort of rod manufacturers making lighter and lighter graphite rods, these reels balance well on almost every rod I put them on (within the corresponding wts/sizes). The biggest difference you will first notice between Galvan's Rush Light and the Torque is the weight. This simply boils down to the added amount of machining that is done to the torque to remove material (weight) and yet still continue manufacturing a durable product. 

Conclusion

There is very little to be unhappy about with this reel. But, a couple of things did stick out after much thinking. One was the drag knob - it can be fairly loose when at lower settings. This generally is a non-issue, but I did find two things that happened with this:

1. The knob has the potential to move/spin when packed away. So if you are neurotic about what your drag setting is, just make sure to double check after rigging.  
2. When (and only when) the drag is at it's lowest settings, there is a small gap between the knob and the frame. Only once did this cause line to actually get stuck - fortunately this was during a casting test and not actually fishing. This is a rare case.

Overall this is clearly one of the best reels available on the market today. Not only is it machine/made to extremely high standards, but it is also priced well within it's class. A lot of reels that offer a similar degree of quality are hundreds of dollars more. This makes Galvan reels even more enticing! 

Specifics:

• Large arbor design
• Fully Anodized 6061 Aluminum
• Extremely low startup inertia / very smooth drag
• Lots OF drag. Not only smooth, but tons of it!
• Made in U.S.A.
• Easy lefthand or righthand retrieve conversion
• Simple spool removal with a push-button design 

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As our DHC-3 Otter cruised over the expansive gap between Labrador City and the Atikonak River, I couldn't help continually saying to myself "I have never seen so much water inland in my life." Lakes, ponds, streams, creeks, and rivers seemed to scatter towards the horizon like a splatter painting. Some would connect while others stood isolated, but from above it all appeared like one huge checker board in the water which we were 'jumping' over. The pilot turned us 270 degrees to the south in preparation for our landing in front of the Riverkeep Lodge. 

The lodge owners and guides greeted us and we all unloaded our gear and provisions for the upcoming week. In transition on their way out was an older couple in their 80's. "An 8lb salmon and she got a 4.5lb brookie" the husband explained as we made small talk before they boarded for their flight back to Labrador City. We had little question about what flies they used as he had them all organized deliberately on his hat, mostly streamers. I nodded to myself in confidence as I do a lot of streamer fishing here in Maine. 

We were shown to our respective cabins, made friends with our beds for the next week, and then headed to the main cabin to get an orientation of what to expect for our fishing until the following Saturday. I had heard before we left that ice-out at various other locations/lodges in Labrador was quite late this spring, so it was not surprising when we were told that the water was cranking for that time of year. "We usually wade this river" Steve Murray, the owner, explained "but we will be fishing out of boats this week as the water is still quite high...this is the highest I've seen it in over a decade." Some lodges had even cancelled their first weeks of anglers because of the delayed spring with ice and snow covering cabins well into late June. So it did not surprise me that we would also be dealing with the repercussions of a long winter. "Hence all the streamers in the previous guest's hat" I thought to myself...

But I was ready! Prepared with various sinking lines and boxes of weighted and unweighted baitfish and sculpin imitations, I came with a full arsenal of gear and it proved to be well worth it. This did not mean however that there was nothing hatching. A giant salmonfly stumbled around the main lodge during orientation, and the first afternoon we went out, a thick line of caddis flowed along the bank of a section they called "the Aquarium." I had never seen this amount of concentrated caddis floating on the water. While looking at this sight of thick caddis along the edge, my guide for that day, Eric, said "that's nothing, you should see it when it's really thick." The rest of the week was similar in the insect life, with sporadic caddis hatches and juicy stoneflies/salmonflies. 

Our week's routine was fueled by hearty meals prepared by the family which allowed us to fish from sun-up to sundown. Lunches were taken on the river at their "lunch bar" to keep lines in the water longer. The lunch spot even provided good fishing opportunities. Daylight started at around 5am and lasted until 10pm, so these were long days, especially if you wanted to fish after dinner. But, the guides working at Riverkeep are tireless and very willing, seemingly anxious, to bring clients out on the river even after a belt-loosening dinner and desert. I can not say enough about the friendliness and willing attitude of the guides. 

This tenacity of the guides was certainly put to the test as well. With the high water and unusual condition of the river for that time of year, there was no cruise-control set with these guys. They were constantly moving around, trying spots even unlikely for that time of year, and always wanting to get their sports into their desired fish. If something didn't go as planned, you'd hear them say something along the lines of "you have no idea how badly I wanted you to get into a fish there." It was with that attitude which gave us a big mixture of fish. Fish were spread throughout the river but willing to take flies. Bigger streamers and buggers indeed proved to be the best bet and with simple color changes brought us every fish the Atikonak River provides for anglers. Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon, Lake Trout, Whitefish, and Pike all held inside the pine tree lined river. Of them all, the salmon fishing was the most consistent and productive. Out-fighting a pike 3-times it's weight, the landlocks were willing to take streamers and seemed to specifically like some white articulated ones I packed.

One of the most memorable fish of the trip was caught in that "Aquarium" section. We had seen some fish, including Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon, and Whitefish rising for caddis falling out of the Black Spruces nearby. As they floated and danced their way down river, the caddis would be interrupted by splashes and then taken down under. After a couple of missed fish on dry flies, I switched to a streamer on a sinking line. Cast in the tail section of this run in the slower moving water, I came tight to a fish that made my Galvan reel scream with a couple of strong runs. After a lengthy fight with a very strong fish my guide netted this Landlocked Salmon which was exploding with color. A very clean fish. It was dark with deep blue cheeks.

The Brook Trout had not fully arrived in the river yet. They were absolutely around, but not how they would have been in normal conditions. I have a suspicion that if I were to go back in a week or two that it would be lights out brookie fishing! I've heard reports and seen the pictures. They're there in the Atikonak for sure... The first to arrive in the system are the Lake Trout and Landlocked Salmon, then shortly after that the Brook Trout make their way into the party. But regardless we certainly found some at the end of our line. My largest came during one of the evening outings. With a stomach overloaded from dinner, my guide and I came up to a section they called the "Boulder Field." With a black woolly bugger, I cast upstream, stripped three times and instantly felt myself hooked-up. Almost as soon as the line came tight, a fat male brookie came (unusually) jumping out of the water and tail danced a couple times up river. It was a quick fight as I got it along the boat in short order, but lost it right as the net was about to plunge underneath the fish to bring it to hand. I caught some other nice brookies, but the one that night lingers. 

We made our way though the week catching the Antikonak's offerings with regularity. It was the health and size of the fish that was most remarkable. For a fish the same length you might see here in Maine, the Atikonak's version was significantly fatter. Well fed fish, with plenty of food resources that saw little fishing pressure, gained weight by the pound. With this in mind, our guides were quick to tell everyone on the first day to "get the fish on the reel as soon as you can." There are a lot of trout anglers who fish at Riverkeep that are not used to the size of trout found here, so many anglers would lose fish while trying to strip them in. With the use of strong leaders and tippet, but making sure fish were properly fought helped to ensure more were landed successfully. 

(Only the strong survive in Labrador. This landlocked salmon looks to have successfully escaped a recent tussle with a Pike)

What Gear I Used

I was very generously supplied by TFO rods and Galvan reels to be used and tested on this water. 

• RODS - 5wt TFO Axiom II (for dry flies), 6wt TFO BVK + 7wt TFO Axiom II setup with sinking/sinking-tip lines for streamer fishing.
• LINES - The 5wt had InTouch Rio Perception - 6wt had Scientific Anglers SONAR Titan WF6S (triple density) - 7wt had Rio InTouch StreamerTip WF7F/S6
• REELS - Galvan Rush Light R5 and Galvan Torque T6 + T8
• LEADERS/TIPPET - Dry flies: Rio Powerflex 9' 3x / Streamers: a straight section of 3-5ft of Rio Fluoroflex Plus 2X-0X tippet (Depending on weight of fly).
• FLIES - This list could be never-ending, but (short list) for dries - Goddard Caddis, Hornberg, Elk Hair Caddis, and Stimulators. Streamers - various colored buggers, Golden Retriever, Grey Ghost, articulated streamers in Galloup style, and deceivers. Don't be afraid to tie things larger than you normally would. These fish have a lot of food, gotta get their attention!

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