September Flies I Like

A couple flies I like from the boys at Montana Fly Company that catch steelhead.






Bruce Berry's Mover







This one really caught my eye because it looks a lot like one I fish. Well mine doesn't exactly have enough ostrich for bulk, or a nicely dressed collor and for that matter a nice formed head, but it is almost effective. This ala Blue Moon variation with wiggle is a 9 out of 10 on the badass scale.






Brian Chou's Double Agent









Here is a very versatile fly that can be both swung and nymphed. Yes I said both ladies! Swing nymphs is stupid effective at times when gaywings do not move fish and well we all know how deadly nymphing can be. I have personally caught fish with one and had the tier pick my arse, I mean pocket with it as well.





Brian Chou's Fortune Cookie








This bad boy was designed for fishing for trout on the Yakima River, but I think I might be able to find a better target for it this winter. It will be nice; to fish something other then MOALS and Intruders this winter. Sorry Derek and Ed :) .

Metalheads Anyone?

A couple of homies of mine have a little film coming out this winter I know all of you want to check out. Beware of Filipino Power!

This Weeks Spoils

Despite not being able to get out for full day trips, I was able to get out for a few hours at a time. I got to say in this modern day the only use for fish nets should be in Jenna Jamison videos. Instead I think they are all in the Columbia River between the Dalles Dam and the Deschutes. I guess this is another topic though. We ended up saying hello to a few trout and blanked on the D.
















On this side of the state, I did manage my first silver of the year which was my first on the spey. A pleasant surprise, but not exactly what I was looking for. While fishing, I ran into my buddy Jarrod and watched him man handle several steelhead. Fishing a well known run here in Southwest Washington, Jarrod is a machine. Despite fishing this location a hundred times catching silvers and chinook, I had never caught a steelhead there. Well that is until today! Then again the bastard was a Ronde size fish and nothing to really brag about.



One of four fish Jarrod tangled with. He is enjoying a fine dinner tonight!

Roots

I just spent the last week searching my soul while spending time with my father and family in Sioux City, Iowa. Last week my grandmother passed away. Now I know this has nothing to do with steelhead, but as we get older we lose the people that mean a lot to us. Since graduating from college I have had the unfortunate experience of losing two of my grandparents as well as my mother. The winter my mother passed away was the first time I really tried to swing flies for steelhead. Living in Portland, I spent many days on the Necanicum and Nehalem looking for something other than steelhead. I spent countless hours on my days off swinging flies, but really thinking and reflecting what my mother did for me. I still credit what I learned from my time on the river as part of my recovery.




One of Grandma Dee's Fishing Licenses.












Part of my childhood was spent in the Midwest. My first fishing experiences was with my father and grandmother. The game dealt more often with minnows and night crawlers for warmwater species, but as we well know these first experiences influence our learning. I have many pleasant memories fishing with the family including my brother who later taught me how to fly fish. Those long days fishing with my grandmother are dear to me. Those long days sitting with her, smoking her non-filtered cigarettes stick in my memory. I will never forget her and how she encouraged me to get out.




Uncle Elwood, Aunt Annie and my Father in Minnesota


My father always encouraged me to get out as well. Growing up he hunted and fished frequently. I remember all of the stories he told me over the years about Northern and Walleyed Pike. He used to fish with his Uncle Elwood and Aunt Annie in Minnesota every year. The story of the huge Pike he caught by accident in Minnesota and the whole Perch he found in its belly, the dogfish he would her barking at night and how Walleyed Pike were the best eating fish in the world. As a father myself now, I see how important it is to share my memories that I have with my daughter. The stories my father told me I can share with her as well as the other adventures I have had with my father and friends. With luck she will have stories to pass on. You never know, she might tell her children stories about the rare steelhead and how her father actually used to catch them.



My Father and I in Alaska



My father found this in between a photo album and an old scrapbook. I was shocked to see a fly rod and steelhead. Well I guess it could be a small salmon, but shocked regardless because they did not use fly rods in this part of the Midwest.

Slaying a Hog with AEG

When one of your Filipino brothers is getting married, it is customary to partay and eat and drink until you pass hell out. In oder to kick off this weekend right, Jay and I decided that the boys should roast a Hogito Filipino style. Six hours of spinning went by quickly with this crew. Beers, rainbows, eats, tunes and some good buddies made this some good times!


Fire, fire, fire, fire!!!!!!!!!!

Trying to get the pit as hot as hades.














Taste like chicken? I hope not!


Drinkng some Mad River Brew Steelhead Ale at 8am, catching a few fish and turning a pig all day is a lot of work.



























Owens hard at work literally on the phone, fishing and well that beer cup is half empty.















Owens taking his turn spinning the hog.















It's all over now brother. Thanks for eating all those donuts!




















Nate Dog and Jay finishing off the kill! Tastes a lot better then chicken too.

Oh and the wedding went well also.

Players Ball

There is a time in life when a guy preparing for the rest of his life decides to go out with homies for some beers and boobies. Although the cabaret sounds like a great idea, drinking, enjoying the herbal essence and catching some steelhead with the boys isn’t that bad either. What better way to send your homie Brian off for the rest of his life. You never know if you will see him again after the wedding …………..

With the sure madness that goes along with drinking all day and wading a river, it is important that one is well protected. A comfortable hat that is well insulated and durable to protect you from the cold, heat and dreaded Snap-T on a windy day is important. Falling while fishing is always a risk too and the fiancé will never let it down if you end up showing up to the wedding with a few extra bruises on your face. What is more perfect then a helmet. This can’t be just any helmet though and color is important, and what color is more effective on steelhead then good old pink. Pink also keeps you camouflaged and protected from the elements on the Dry Side of the state. It's not a bad idea to make your buddy look stupid either.

Oh yeah, the scene was so think; four wheelers, spey rods, PBR and homies came from far and wide. Washington, Oregon and even Argentina showed up this weekend. Now I’m here to tell you there is no better day then shit talking, pocket picking, skating, dredging, wheeling and some chrome on the bank. Too bad there was no boobies there though...............

Steel

Fergie

Barrett
















Ross




















Me

Brian

BC Steelhead Flyfishing Tour 2007

Brian Niska and the rest of these guys did a great job. I cannot wait to get skunked on the Thompson now.