Skagit Master 2

I took a round about drive home this morning from an eye appointment and stopped by Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters in Portland to pick up a copy of Skagit Master Volume 2 with Scott Howell. I watched it and it is worth the price not to mention supporting a local fly shop. One of my long term fishing buddies watched it with me and it was interesting talking though some of the strategies and techniques Scott goes through with him. The dry fly footage and river scenery was awesome, but the Sage, Sage, Sage, Sage and Sage advertising was lame.

Just for Fun - Big Bibbles

just for fun. from Detonation Studios on Vimeo.

Some great work from my buddy Ian Majszak from Detonation Studios in Bozeman, Montana. I can't wait until next Fall.

Things Learned on the Water in 2010

January Spring Chinook can be caught on the swing and even on bamboo.















Some guys have all the luck.

Bamboo Spey rods are awesome!

You can be handicapped to swing flies for steelhead. Landing steelhead while handicapped tends to be difficult though.















Alaskan Spring Steelhead are amazing creatures.

Alaskans are ridiculous when it comes to nymphing.

Welding polyurethane and polyethelene is fun and easy. PVC sucks!

There really are rivers and creeks out there that have steelhead in them that people do not know about.























I am not the only one that believes that DIO Rocks. Rest in peace Ronnie, you will be missed.
















Stalking carp on flats is one of the best ways to spend time on the water when its too warm to fish for steelhead. It’s one hell of a lot of fun too.
















Large steelhead will rise to a skater and there are times that fish will only move to a skater.

Despite being low holed over and over again on the Olympic Peninsula, you can still swing fish in other people’s pocket.

Trey Combs is one of the nicest individuals you will ever meet.

Missoula apparently sucks.















Pulling crab everyday for a week is a great workout.

The Airflo Speydicator really turned into an all purpose line.

Bonk the damn hatchery fish when you land it and don’t just try to gill it. Stupid!!!!

Puget Sound fishing is kinda cool.






















Don’t eat steak and drink beer the night before going on an off shore tuna boat.

There really is a use for 12 weights.

Just because its winter doesn’t mean that summer tactics don’t work.

The Metolius River really is one of the most beautiful places on this Earth.

Sometimes kicking back, taking pictures and sharing a few drinks with friends on the river is just as good as fishing.






















The Guideline LeCie really is the best Scandi rod out there.

Don’t put your iPod and phone in your fishing jacket.


Tightlines everyone!

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.