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ld’s
Rayno
Pass
The last best reason
“live a life that’s built to last”
Ennis, Montana, year 2000
Sitting along the river’s edge, my wading boots now
act as a headrest; my net now acts as a cooler holding
a few beers in the cold waters I’ve been fishing.
Watching the evening caddis hatch, the water
erupts beneath an emerging bug. A chance for new
life, a chance to fly away and live again, now gone
in an instant as another Madison rainbow rolls on
the surface. “This is the life, ain’t it?” Kevin says,
tapping my shoulder with an open whiskey flask.
Taking a hit, I savor the moment, trying not to
think forward to the corporate life that awaits
me back in Southern California. Somehow I try
to make sense of my life. My new wife, new house,
convertible Mercedes—all worth the five hours
I spend commuting each day. Living my life from
airport to hotel, from tradeshow to meeting and one
production cycle to the next—somehow justified if it
affords me three weeks a year casting my fly to these
unsuspecting trout under the big sky of Montana.
By Clint Walker
Photography by Clint & Alisha Walker
Take your pick: the Troy Lee Designs Range Rover Sport (TOP) or the
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the 2005 SEMA show.
would need. Something that would stand up to the rigors of off-road travel, something adaptable
to the varying terrain and climates in the Northwest and something built right—straight from
the factory. In October of 2000, after months of searching, we purchased a clean 1995 Defender
Bob Marshall Wilderness
The entry above was taken from my journal during the
month of July, Y2K. This just days before my good friend
(who introduced me to fly fishing) Kevin and I embarked
on an adventure that would forever change my outlook on
life. We would start our trip fishing the areas in and around
Ennis, Montana and West Yellowstone, then make our way
north into the Flathead Valley before backpacking into the
Bob Marshall Wilderness.
90 NAS SW from Land Rover, Mission Viejo. With only 42,000 miles on it, the under-chassis
showed no signs of off-road abuse. For all intents and purposes, it was brand new.
The first upgrade to the newly acquired D90 was to replace the factory shocks with Bilstein
gas-charged shocks. (This is the single best improvement one can make to a Defender.)
Next, we replaced the factory stereo with an aftermarket system that would also endure the
rigors of our travels: an Alpine AM/FM CD player signaling a 4x75-watt JL Audio model 300/4
amplifier that powers a pair of JL Audio 6.5-inch Evolution series separates in the doors and a
single 8-inch JL audio 8W2 subwoofer which was installed into a custom-built enclosure inside
the factory center console. We installed an additional pair of JL Audio 6.5-inch coaxial speakers
powered by the head unit into the rear panel factory locations.
Lighting was another key upgrade made before hitting the trails. We installed four 8-inch PIAA
dual-beam lights on the roll-bar and four 6-inch PIAA lights were installed on the factory NAS
“But don’t worry, this isn’t another story about a couple of guys who
venture off into the woods and get attacked by griz, but rather a story
about a guy who hikes into the heart of Montana and gets attacked by life.”
pre-runner-style bumper.
The last upgrade was the addition of a Tentrax All-Terrain sport utility trailer. Bob Mazziotti,
owner of Tentrax, is well-versed in off-roading and manufactures a small trailer that is not only
utility, but can go anywhere (and has) that our Land Rover roams. Tentrax even matched our
taillights with factory Defender lights and added factory wheels and matching tires—then
The Bob is notably the most pristine wilderness area in
delivered it to our house.
North America, in part due to its limited access. To get
there, simply turn off the road at Hungry Horse, follow the
reservoir off-road for about 60 miles. Park at Spotted Bear
camp and hike south three days straight. If you see plenty
of fresh grizzly tracks, you’re in the right place.
But don’t worry, this isn’t another story about a couple
of guys who venture off into the woods and get attacked
by griz, but rather a story about a guy who hikes into the
heart of Montana and gets attacked by life.
Somewhere over the 25 miles we covered on foot, the
3,000 miles covered by truck and a close encounter with
reality, I made the decision there along the river’s edge
in Montana—I wasn’t going to wait until I was old and
retired to live my life.
When I returned home and shared the idea with me
wife, she, too, was ready for a change of pace. Luckily for us,
the dot-com bubble soon busted and stocks were crashing
at an incredible rate—this only helping to expedite our
change in lifestyle.
Having worked in the automotive-related publishing
business for several years, we knew the type of rig we
ABOVE: Take your pick: the Troy Lee Designs Range Rover
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the
Florence & Tillamook Oregon
In March of 2001, having sold nearly everything we owned, we left California and headed
for Oregon…
The state of Oregon offers a wide range of various skill-level trails over what many feel is the
most diverse terrain of any place in North America. (The same words also describe the fishing.)
We spent a great deal of time along the coast at the sand dunes in Florence. Here, there are
dozens of square miles of off-roading that will take you across flat sandy plains and through a
labyrinth of trees and waterways before opening up to a serene stretch of beach.
The wind is a constant companion in Florence and works as an architect to the ever-changing
sand dunes. It truly is a unique and special place.
The dunes of Florence will surly test your excavation skills, as deep waterholes and quicksand
will challenge even the most experienced drivers. With tires deflated to ten pounds, clearance
and handling become a major factor. It was in the dunes of Florence where we first got stuck
beyond self-help when we rolled into a waterhole we were traversing. Our Defender lay on its side,
half-way submerged in water until another D90 helped pull us out. (Insert Ad for Pull-Pal here:
without it, we’d still be there.) Unfortunately, the D90’s computer and our stereo amplifier were
ABOVE: Take your pick: the Troy Lee Designs Range Rover
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the
ABOVE: Take your pick: the Troy Lee Designs Range Rover
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the
on the side that lay underwater. However, once the truck was upright, I removed the computer
and dumped the sand and water from it. Then opened it up and used our PowerTank to dry it
with compressed air, covered it with Chapstick for an insulator, plugged it back in, fired up the
truck and drove off. (No kidding.) That only provided a temporary fix, however, as it finally failed
after about 50 miles. (Subsequently, the first and only time our Land Rover has left us stranded.)
The JL Audio amplifier, however, worked for another six months, and they later replaced it under
warranty.
Further north along the Oregon coast is an OHV area in Tillamook. This is a popular area
for more experienced drivers, and I strongly recommend observing the rock garden rather than
“If you own a Land Rover, you owe it to yourself and your vehicle
to visit Moab to help loosen the cellular dust buildup from the city.
It will change the way you view sidewalkds and curbs forever.
There’s only one problem with Moab—no fish...
participating. (Only highly modified rock-crawlers survive here.) Slick mud, steep trails and tight
passageways overlooking the rocky, windswept coastline are what attract wheelers. Many vehicles
arrive on a trailer—not at all my vision of fun.
Head due east of Florence over the Cascades and trade your Birkenstocks for steel-toe boots.
Then pass through the quaint town of Sisters and into Bend to compare tire sizes with the locals.
(My kind of town.) Using Sunriver (just south of Bend) as our home base, we spent over a year
in central Oregon discovering the dozens of streams, tributaries and lakes, while taking short
“vacations” to Moab, UT and various parts of Wyoming and Montana.
Moab, Utah
It was the hard trails of Moab that inspired further upgrades, including a 3-inch lift, bigger
tires and a stainless, cat-back exhaust. (Actually, the new exhaust was required after we donated
the factory exhaust on Steel Bender trail.) In a stock Defender 90, we conquered every trail we
attempted in Moab, all while pulling our Tentrax tent trailer. Two of my favorite things about
Moab? Hearing one Jeep owner comment after another, “You can’t make it up that with that
trailer.” And having a guy standing next to a Jeep with $30K in aftermarket upgrades say, “Not
everyone can afford one of those things.”
That said, it doesn’t really matter what you drive in Moab: when you’re stuck, there’s always
someone offering help, and it truly does create a sense of community—although any help that
requires more than 60 minutes to complete requires payment by beer in town.
If you own a Land Rover, you owe it to yourself and your vehicle to visit Moab to help loosen
the cellular dust buildup from the city. It will change the way you view sidewalks and curbs forever.
There’s only one problem with Moab—no fish….
Somewhere in NW Montana, July 27, 2005
With 103,141 miles on the odometer, I sit along the bank of the river. My Defender’s front tire
acts as a backrest as I watch Alisha excitedly pull another wild rainbow trout from the shallow
waters. Her actions turn from catch to release in the instant another trout rises just feet in front of
her. I am resting my shoulder and organizing my fly box in preparation for the evening hatch. The
sound of the river combined with the warm sun is like a sleeping agent, and the only energy I have
ABOVE: Take your pick: the Troy Lee Designs Range Rover
Volvo XC70 AT concept vehicle (BOTTOM) shown at the
to acknowledge Alisha’s next catch is to grin and to make my eyes smile.
About the Authour
The serenity is interrupted by the vibrating of my cellular phone. I answer
Clint Walker lives in Whitefish, MT and is
and detect stress in the voice on the other end. “Hey, it’s Kevin. What are you
the founding editor of Your National Forests
doing?” he says. “I’m sitting here watching Alisha challenge these rising trout,”
Magazine. His photography and writing
I say. “What are you doing?” I ask. “Sitting here in traffic on the 405,” he says.
have appeared in numerous technology,
“That’s the life, ain’t it? Why don’t you come join us?” I reply. “Someday,” he
automotive and outdoor-related magazines
says, “Someday.”
and advertisements over the past ten years.
More of his photography can be seen and
purchased as limited edition prints through
www.ImageryMontana.com
Fly Fishing Products
N
ow, chances are if you’re holding Land Rover Lifestyle magazine in
your hands, then you already own or at least know where to find the
rig that will get you to your destination fishing spot. However, here
are some tips and tools you’ll need to get started in fly fishing.
First, you’ll need a good fly rod and reel. Most of the stuff we use today is
hi-tech and high dollar. But if you’re just getting started, then you have some
The End
budget-minded options to help insure that you’ll enjoy it before making a
hefty investment in gear.
Many fly shops will rent equipment, offer instruction and offer guide
services as well. This is an excellent way to learn to fly fish. However, if you’re
Tech Sheet
not one for instruction or looking to venture out on your own, then start with
a 5- or 6-weight fly rod and reel and floating, weight forward (WF) line with a
1995 Defender 90 NAS SW • Manual Trans • 3.9 liter V8 • Factory Air
shooting head with a tippet tapered down to 4x or 5x.
Fly fishing rods and reels are gauged by “weight,” with 0-weight being the
lightest tackle possible (and really not used often). A 3-weight rod is a good
Upgrades (In Order):
• Bilstein Gas Shocks & Stabilizer
• Alpine AM/FM CD Player
• Center Console converted to
8-inch subwoofer enclosure
• JL Audio 4x75-watt amplifier
• JL Audio 6.5-inch component speakers (doors)
• JL Audio 6.5-inch coaxial speakers
(rear stock location)
• Dual Optima Yellow-top batteries
• Multiple 12V outlets installed for GPS,
ARB fridge, etc.
• Garmin ColorMap GPS w/external antenna
• Magellan RoadMate 600 GPS
w/external antenna
• K&N Rechargeable air filter
• Borla Stainless cat-back exhaust
• Vitek custom plug wires & braiding
• PIAA 8-inch 250W lights top-factory locations
• PIAA 6.5-inch pencil beam lights-bumper
• PIAA 4.5-inch lights rear/reverse
• Safari Gard front Bumper & Rock Sliders
• Safari Gard spare tire Hi-Lift mount
• Warn 6500 winch
• Synthetic Kinetic winch line
• Old Man Emu 3.5-inch lift springs
• Goodyear 365/75 R16 MTR tires
• Rover’s North diamond plate wing
protection plates
• Rover’s North Stainless Grille
• Rover’s North Waxoil undercoating
• Rover’s North Tail Light Grilles
• Custom-made limb-risers (Home Depot)
• Line-X bedliner interior and roof rack
• Atlantic British High-Performance brake
rebuild kit front/rear
Other
• Tentrax Sport Utility All-Terrain Tent Trailer
w/3-inch lift, matching Land Rover rims, Goodyear MTRs, Defender lights/grills, front & rear racks & Optima Yellow-top battery w/12V outlets.
• ARB 12V refrigerator/freezer
• Pull-Pal sand/snow terrain winch anchor
• Warn Winch Kit
• PowerTank Stainless Co2 (runs air tools)
• Craftsman Steel toolbox
Source Information:
Tentrax • 800.488.2022 • www.tentrax.com
JL Audio • 954.443.1100 • www.jlaudio.com
Alpine • 310.326.8000 • www.alpine-usa.com
Pull-Pal • 800.541.1817 • www.pullpal.com
ARB • 424.264.1391 • www.arbusa.com
Safari Gard • 800.820-GARD • www.safarigard.com
Atlantic British • 800.533.2210 • www.atlanticbritish.com
Rover’s North • 800.403.7591 • www.roversnorth.com
PIAA • 503.643.7422 • www.piaa.com
BFGoodrich Tires • 864.458.5000
PowerTank • 209.366.2163 • www.powertank.com
Bilstein • 800.537.1085 • www.bilstein.com
light tackle option for small streams and ponds, or where the fish aren’t known
to be too large. 3-weights are sometimes used by more experienced fisherman
for the challenge, while an 8-weight rod is considered a minimum weight for
steelhead and other larger salmonoids. Once you get into the sport, you’re
likely to have several rods for various areas and conditions.
A floating line is the most common line used when fly fishing. It is measured
in weight to match the rod and reel combination. While brightly colored lines
are nice to learn with because they are easy to see, in some streams where fish
see a lot of pressure, the bright color is known to spook fish. A weight forward
floating line is excellent for dry fly (on the surface) fishing and can also be used
for “nymphing” (fishing below the surface).
Other items you’ll need include a small net and a pair of hemostats for
removing the fly. If you intend to catch and release (and some streams require
it), then be sure to buy a net with a close-knit mesh. This will help to ensure the
fish is not harmed when being landed. Extra tippet material, clippers, a small
selection of flies and a good pair of polarized sunglasses round out the tools
you need to enjoy a day on the water. Be sure to bring a hat and sunscreen;
I’ve seen many people get sick from sun poisoning after spending a day on the
water.
Today there are a few good companies that offer complete fly fishing kits
with all things necessary to get started. Recommended brands are Fly Logic,
Reddington and Cortland.
Once you get going, you’ll want a pair of waders and felt-sole wading boots
to keep you warm and dry and help you keep your footing in the water. For
warmer waters, I recommend wading sandals, now offered by a number of
Recommended Flies to Get Started
Elk Hair Caddis (tan w/olive body)
Orange Stimulator
Mosquito
Wooly Bugger (olive)
Price Nymph
companies.
January/February 2006
23
Fly Fishing Products
Abel “Super-series” Reel
Bucks Bags “Bronco” pontoon boat
When you spend 300 days on the
Pontoon boats are quite popular for fly
water, you want high-quality tackle that
fishing on lakes, but can also handle quite
is going to stand up to use and abuse. No
well in rivers and small streams. They offer
other reel company I know exemplifies
an alternative to “float-tube” fishing that
quality and craftsmanship like Abel reels.
allows the user to be higher and dryer, which
Abel reels are the result of commitment
also improves sight and hooking angles.
to
Additionally, the oars and streamlined
excellence
and
made
proudly
by Abel here in the U.S. They feature a cork drag system that is
pontoons make traveling across big lakes much easier and faster than kicking
bulletproof and also extremely smooth, which helps to land big fish.
with fins. Bucks Bags are lightweight and durable. Street Price: $600 to $800
(Abel also offers fly rods, which are also excellent.) Street Price: $400 - $800
www.bucksbags.com
www.abelreels.com
fishpond “Gore Range” fishing vest
Abel 4-weight Fly Rod
Every fisherman will have his or her own
fishpond came onto the fly fishing scene just a few
short years ago with some fresh ideas and innovative
preference for the “action” of the rod. In the
products, offering full-featured “tech-packs” that
Northwest, wind is a constant companion,
double as backpacks and for other useful purposes
and therefore I like a rod with a faster
not only on the water, but to and from. They
action. Abel rods give me the control I need
also make a small list of high-quality accessories.
to make longer casts in windy conditions
Excellent designs and good people. Street Price:
and also help me to manage my line on bigger water. Street Price: $500
$130 to $250 • www.fishpondusa.com
www.abelreels.com
SIMMS Waders and Vests
Bite Shoes Wading Sandals
Simms is a company that has become
On those hot summer days when the
synonymous with fly fishing after introducing
water feels refreshing on your feet, throw on
the first breathable, lightweight Gore-Tex™
a pair of Bite Shoes wading sandals and hit
waders nearly twenty years ago. Based
the stream. Featuring a combination felt and
in Bozeman, MT, Simms is a company
rubber sole, these sandals work just as well
that focuses on customers first, and their
in the water as they do on the trail. A special
products show it. After six years of abuse,
toe-guard keeps the piggies happy while you
and fishing nearly every day, often twice a day, my waders just recently got
fish all afternoon. Street Price: $70 • www.biteshoes.com
their first hole—which I quickly patched using their kit. Their waders and
boots are pricey compared to the cheap imitations on the market, but are
built to last. Waders Street Price: $300 to $600 Boots Street Price: $90 to $140
www.simmsfishing.com
Scientific Anglers
Multi-Compartment Fly Box
Every fly fisherman needs at least one fly
box that can carry a multitude of dries and
C.C. Filson Wading Jacket
nymphs of all sizes. Scientific Anglers makes
If ever there was clothing built like a Land
a number of boxes that offer the best for
Rover, it’s the clothing by C.C. Filson. For over 100
both types of storage needs, all in a durable
years, Filson has been making outdoor clothing,
waterproof (floating) package. Street Price:
and many of their styles and fabrics have not
$35 to $65 • www.scientificanglers.com
changed in that time. (If it ain’t broke…) Their
Shelter Cloth Wading Jacket has served me well
over the years and kept me dry during those
downpours when the fish were still biting. Street Price: $197.00 www.filson.com