Vintage North Fork Toutle River Footage

On May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens erupted effecting everyone in the Pacific Northwest. In the process the most devastating lahar, or landslide ended up running through the North Fork Toutle River, destroying everything in its path and flowing into the Cowlitz River. Despite reconstruction efforts the North Fork Toutle has not recovered from the devastating effects of this natural catastrophe. At least in this case it was Mother Nature that took the river back and not another man made catastrophe. There is still a remnant population of native summer and winter steelhead in the Forks of the Toutle River. Many moons ago I swung my first native winter steelhead there. Check out the old footage courtesy of the Old Duffer on You Tube.

Dark Days of Winter

This year has been an ass kicker for me in a multitude of ways and fishing really has been on the backburner for the most part, especially this time of year with the chocolate flows of the last month and the subservient grabs from Chambers Creek and Alsea hatchery fish. Canceling two coastal trips over the last three weeks I have done more Christmas shopping and drinking then I would like to admit. But the other day my good friend Mike Gamby and I trekked over a snowy pass to fish a trout stream. Not casting a spey rod on moving water in well over a month, it was a refreshing reprieve from the rainy days we have been all complaining about on the West side of Pacific Northwest.

















Though the river was still off color and higher then I have seen it in years, we were still able to find some worthy opponents to cast flies to. The descent winter fishing wasn't as revitalizing as just getting out of Dodge and getting off my ass. One of the things I have always enjoyed was the ability to fish year round while here in the Pacific Northwest. Scott Richmond once wrote a book called Fishing Oregon's Endless Season and to this day believe that is true. There is always something you can fish for if you know the lakes and rivers around you and if you are willing to take the time and spend a little gas. It is well worth the extra dollars and taking care of your mental health is one of the most important things you can do for yourself with the Seasonal Affective Disorder that effects us all during these dark days of winter.
















There is hope on the horizon through, the Winter Solstice will be here in just five days and we will start to see our days start lengthen. Cold dark days will continue, but lengthen and warmer weather and grabby native steelhead are on the horizon. Like most that read this blog, I am looking forward to those longer days and less volatile river flows in the next coming months. You will all see this to be true for most fishermen when the bitching and moaning ends on all those fishing forums end and arguments about MOW tips and over prescribed skagit heads end. These dark short days of winter will end soon.

Kunimasu Found in Japan

A species of salmonid called a kunimasu or black kokanee was found thriving in a Lake Saiko near Mount Fugi, Japan. This species once found in a lake 310 miles North of Lake Saiko was destroyed by yes another hydroelectric project. This lead to their native lake becoming too acidic for life. 100,000 Smolts were planted in Lake Saiko, but were still thought to have become extinct until recent. Read more courtesy of the Associated Press.

River of Deceit Lyric Interpretation

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My pain is self-chosen
At least, so The Prophet says
I could either burn
Or cut off my pride and buy some roe
A box full of flies is the weight, tied to my waist

The River of Deceit pulls down, oh oh
The only direction we cast is down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down (x2)

My pain is self-chosen
At least I believe it to be
I could either drown
Or pull off my skin and wade to shore
Now I can grow a beautiful shell for all to see

The River of Deceit pulls down, yeah
The only direction we cast is down
Down, oh down
Down, oh down (x2)

The pain is self-chosen, yeah
Our pain is self-chosen




Layne was a genius.