First Fish on the Spey...

You read it right. I hooked up with fish (read multiple!) on the spey rod for the first time.

In fact, I did the old "hook to mouth" move two times this morning on the 'lama. Heck, the first take on the swung Silvey's Extractor pattern was vicious. Head shakes, a nice flash in the water, line flying off the reel across the river, then nothing. Of course!

Working down the run, I hooked up again. This time, I saw the culprit and he was not exactly pretty. One of those "swimming dead" Chinooks decided to take my fly and he made his presence known with a jump, and several rolls as I landed him. Not yet a moldy mess, but darker than my black SUV, the morbid fish actually "ate" my fly. I figured foul hooked, but I guessed wrong.

After unhooking the nearly dead, and shockingly unclipped (read wild) Chinook, I watched him swim away. First landed fish on the swing/spey. First Chinook (ever), and first salmon on the fly. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but I cannot complain.

The rest of my day was spent moving from hole to hole (Red Barn, Weber's, Beginners, The S-Curves, etc) with only practice casting gained. But hey, I can now Perry Poke decently well, and my Double Spey continues to develop. Good stuff out on the 'lama.

Here's to hoping that some Steel will greet me on my next day spent swinging.

Two Handed Fishing For Steelhead

Okay. I'm a rookie. Let's get that out of the way.

I've been a "serious" fly fisher for a year and a half now, and chasing Steelhead is my latest obsession.

Anyone who's fly fished for Steelhead knows that it's an ultimate challenge of sorts. Unless you're headed north to rivers that are packed to the gills with big, naive Steelhead, you are in for some serious torture.

The fish of a 1,000 casts is what they call Steelhead. And for that reason (among others... logistics being one!) spey (or two handed rod) is a great way to fish for these elusive creatures.

I gave in and recently picked up a used spey rod for a steal of a deal. It's not the fanciest of sticks out there, nor is the operator terribly skilled with it (yet) but it's cause for excitement nonetheless.

The lingo of this new style of fishing is like Swedish to me. I can't really understand it. Scandi? Skagit? T-14? Perry Poke? 510 or 540 grains? Volvo or Saab?! Help!?!?!

I've been scouring my local SW Washington rivers in search of Steelhead (and anything else that may bite my fly) for the past few weeks now, trying to figure out the nuances of the double spey, snake roll, and snap T casts. Let's just say, it's been a trying process. One cast, I rip it 70 feet on target... the next, a putrid mess that travels 40 feet. Frustration!

Prospecting on the upper Kalama.

Recently, I was able to share the water with a new fishing friend who's also begun the process of chasing steel on the spey rod. He's a few steps ahead of me though, and I can't begin to tell you how nice it is to actually watch people who kind of know what they're doing fish. Monkey see, monkey do... well, at least I try to make it happen.

On the last day that I was out we managed to land a dead Chinook salmon (fresh fish...), I caught a Whitey on my nymph rod (of course), and I did have a big time take down on a bobber rig. This game is going to be frustrating but I'll figure it out.

To anyone who cares to join me, I'll be out on my local rivers spey casting regularly. Sure, it's in-between seasons for the novice two handed fly fisherman like me, but you can't catch fish by sitting on the couch. And you sure as heck can't work on your cast from the couch either!

The Highs and Lows of Trout Fishing...

This past week has been a roller coaster of sorts for me. I've fished two well known, fish packed bodies of water and have had two extremely different experiences.

To start the week off, I took my Grandfather along for a trip to Diamond Lake in Southern/Central Oregon. The drive down was miserably long (I had worked the night prior and slept for just a few hours), but upon arriving to the lake (a big one at 3,000 acres!) I was excited.

I've caught more fish out of Diamond Lake then I care to count. The lake is not only massive, but it holds Rainbow trout that average over a pound. Fish to 10 pounds swim in Diamond and a 20" fish wont raise an eyebrow on the dock. When we went to rent our boat though, something told me we were in for a rough day. Near sixty degree water temps and an algae bloom (pretty odd for October!) had kept fishing slow according to the resort staff. After driving 5 hours though, we didn't relent and hit the water.

Early in the day, my Grandfather caught a fish on eggs and since he was nose hooked, we released the little guy. I fly fished to my hearts content trying nearly every lake method I know. Nada. Most boats complained about off fishing, and these folks complaining were pitching power bait. Not good!

6+ hours on the water and I had just one definite strike. It was a first for me, a skunking at Diamond Lake. We tucked our tails between our legs and hit the road, homeward bound down the gorgeous N. Umpqua highway. I watched in envy as fisherman spey cast to Steelhead around every bend. I knew I needed a fish fix!

Low and behold, I returned to Central Oregon in the same week. A family member had work to do in Bend and I offered to drive, knowing that I could get 4-6 hours in on some water near town. With such a limited time frame I decided to hit a well known and easy to fish spring creek, the Fall River.

The Fall River is a beautiful spring creek that flows into the Deschutes near La Pine. The lower Fall, ironically below the Fall River Falls, holds native Redside/Redband trout, whitefish, and some monster Brown trout. Regrettably, the lower river closed the week before I made it down to Bend, so I was relegated to fish the upper river which is stocked with Rainbow trout from the Fall River hatchery. These fish stocked are from Crane Prairie Reservoir stock and are actually very attractive hatchery fish, but I must admit they still leave much to be desired compared to wild, native trout.

Some of the trout in the upper Fall reach upwards of 8 pounds, and I did spot a few lunkers hiding under the numerous downed logs in the stream. These big boys are targeted specifically by many local anglers and can be quite picky. Most fish in the river are 8-12" though, and these are what I had a field day with.

BWOs, Mahogany Duns, even a Callibaetis attractor, rose fish to the surface. I tried to target rising fish when it came to fishing dries. Many fisherman working dry flies seemed frustrated that they couldn't get fish to eat... they were simply fishing the wrong method in the wrong spots.

I worked a small double nymph rig through holes, putting a clinic of sorts on. Carefully working the nymph along the volcanic bedrock ledges under water, and around downed trees, I picked up some solid fish. In fact, I hooked one fish that was all of 17" and had him to the net before he came unbuttoned. CDC collar PTs, anato may nymphs, October Caddis pupa, and a good old tungsten weight fly were hot items for the trout.

By the end of my 5 hours of fishing in two different areas, I had caught at least 30 fish. I stopped counting at a certain point because it was so ridiculous. No, these weren't the wild trout that I so dearly love to catch, nor were they monster trout out of a lake that fight with reckless abandon. But they were a needed pick me up of sorts. An affirmation that I still am a fishy dude, even if I haven't gotten out as much as I would like to.

I guess one could say that the Fall River is like Prozac for a recently skunked fly fisherman.

Next time though, I'll up the game. I'll be wading the Metolius River chasing Bull trout with streamers. And I will most definitely be on the prowl for Steelhead as we have just received some much needed rain to get the fish active.

But for now, I'm content with my week of experiencing the highs and lows of trout fishing on the fly.

Lost in an Ancient Place...

Gorgeous scenery.

No other person on the trail.

Feeling immersed in an ancient place.

Oh. And wild trout, eager to hit a Norm Wood's Special.

While I haven't found trophy trout water nearby, I have found some beautiful places to cast a line. If only I had a 2 wt!

Here's to hoping for the rain to come so I can chase some fresh Steel.

Therapy...

I need it. I need to get away from the crowds, the job (which I'm thankful to now have), and from the prison that monotony has become.

Learning to spey cast has been a fun challenge. Calling in snaggers has become repetitive and depressing. It's time to get out and make something happen.

Tomorrow, I'll explore new stretches of water, in search of whatever is daring enough to strike my fly.

Report to come.

Snag Fest 2K12 Has Begun...

The title says it all.

Fall Chinook are arriving in area rivers and the snaggers are out in force.

These folks put lead, a corkie, and a treble hook on their rods and toss them out into pools where Chinook gather up. The lowlifes that fish this way "rip" their "bait" back hoping to "floss" a fish in the mouth. Well, at least they say that they are trying to get the fish in the mouth. Or that they didn't know the rules? Or perhaps they've never fished here before? Regardless of their piss-poor excuses, fishing in this manner is not only illegal in 99% of cases, but it's also unethical.

It was a sad reminder of what I was missing while fishing for trout in Eastern Washington and Montana. While driving along the Kalama River today, trying to scope out some future Steelheading water I ran into a sad, familiar sight. A snag fest at the Modrow bridge hole. I know it happens on all the local waterways (Washougal, Lewis, etc) but it is still a depressing sight in the least.

I watched with my young cousin today as several Chinook were ripped from the pool that they held in by an army of snaggers and were unceremoniously bonked and harvested. The scene was a lawbreaking "shit show" of sorts. Anti-snagging restrictions on the Kalama make harvests like these illegal, and the hatchery technicians who were also observing the behavior called in WDFW enforcement to help take care of the matter.

Snaggers at work. These low life characters can be found on a myriad of local waters. 

I know that some would argue that the fish aren't worth much (Tule Chinook are not exactly quality table fare...) but fishing like a bonehead doesn't make harvesting them okay. Where is the fun in trying to snag a fish? I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Then again, I also don't use meth...

The simple truth is this. When you see activity like this, whether fishing, driving over a bridge on a local river, or whatever, REPORT IT. The only way that this activity slows down is if more citizens report the poachers/snaggers and do something about it.

The easiest, most anonymous way to report poachers. License plate numbers also help!

My experience today reminds me why I fly fish. I don't enjoy combat fishing, nor do I care to catch fish for the sole purpose of killing them for eggs (very common among the snaggers). Simply put, I try to respect every fish I catch. That doesn't mean that I wont bonk a hatchery brat when I can, but it does mean that I'll catch my fish in a legal manner. People that rip and snag aren't fisherman, they're poachers.

Report poachers. Be friendly and remind them of rules if you want to, but don't try to stop them personally. WDFW Enforcement, however understaffed they may be, are much more effective in stopping criminal acts. 

The best part of our trip to the Kalama today occurred on the drive back downriver from visiting the Kalama's fly fishing only "Holy Waters." We saw a WDFW Enforcement truck headed up to the hole where poaching had been occurring the hour before. 

My cousin asked me, "What's the police man going to do?"

I replied, "He's going to stop those snaggers and write some tickets."

But regrettably, those people will be back at the same hole again tomorrow, doing the same thing. 

Make a difference and keep the heat on poachers. Continued harassment of them means less harassment of the fish.

Dial 911 to report poaching in progress. Call 1-877-933-9847 for other poaching violations. Simply report what you see, where the violation is occurring, the time of the offense, and any other pertinent information (suspect vehicle info, etc). 

First Steel... Uh Oh!

I've long joked that should I get into the Steelhead fishing game, my life would be effectively over. My wife would probably leave me, my dog would disown me, I'd be unemployed, etc.

Well, I've jumped into the game and only the last of my concerns is true (though I'm hoping to hear back about that situation in the very near future).

Let's preface this whole experience.

One. I've never caught a Steelhead. The guy who's spent nearly 75+ days on the water fishing for them as a kid (terminal tackle) never friggin' caught Steelhead. A jack salmon... yes. A crazy Steelhead... no.

Two. I've never truly fly fished for Steelhead and I have a 7 WT custom rod built on a Winston BIIX blank that needed to get some work in.

Enter Sean Visintainer of Silver Bow Fly Shop in Spokane. Sean, knowing that I moved back to the Portland area last week, told me that he may be down in the Gorge fishing the Klickitat for the first time. We kept in touch and when he asked if I wanted to fish with him this week, I jumped on the opportunity.

Meeting this Tuesday on the Klickitat, Sean and I had a quick rendezvous with Tom Larimer of Larimer Outfitters (the fishiest Steelhead dude this side of anywhere) who gave us a rundown of where to fish, what to fish, and how to do it.

It was nice having both Sean and Tom by my side as I hooked my first Steelhead from the bank early Tuesday afternoon. The fish put some real work into my Winston flying across the river doing several acrobatics. Tom calmed me down (I've never been more excited...) and helped me tail and land the native Steelhead which was estimated at 8-9 lbs. After thanking the fish, and Tom for his advice and help, Sean and I fished through the evening before setting up camp.

Tom Larimer helping me land my first Steelhead.

The next day, we floated the Canyon stretch of the Klickitat. I got an impromptu Spey lesson from Sean and nymphed from the boat with my Winston and from the shore with an Echo Switch setup. It definitely took some getting used to but I can see myself rocking a two-hander soon. Sean was experimenting with centerpins and swinging some tasty runs in what is one of the more beautiful river canyons that I've ever seen.

Gorgeous scenery. 

Nearing the final third of the float with no solid takes, we worked some very small buckets and pockets out of the boat. Bingo... I hooked up with a very hot hatchery fish that took us downriver, and did some acrobatics before coming to the net. A sweet little buck (7 lbs) was the reward of the day.

First Hatchery Steelhead. 

My final day on the Klick was bittersweet. Potential work opportunities and the need to still get my stuff in order after moving kept me from staying an extra day out on the water.

Sean and I hit the canyon again and it was wonderful. While fishing was slow to start, we saw a Black bear busting it up a hill side, and despite more fishing pressure (3 boats in front of us), we hooked two fish.

The first was a PIG native Steelhead. The fish jumped out of the air higher than I ever thought possible and Sean estimated the fish as 15 lbs. The fight was tense as we beached the boat and worked down the shoreline. I wanted this fish. It didn't want to cooperate... after a good fight, the line went slack and the fish got away. My 7 wt singlehander got worked. It was like bringing a knife to a gun fight.

I was bummed... really bummed. I've never hooked a fish like that, and to lose it after seeing it... well, it sucked. It's part of the game though, and I play it knowing the consequences.

But redemption was a few bends away. Once again, a tiny pocket proved fortuitous for us. I hooked up another hot fish. Unlike the other Steelhead we hooked, this guy ran upstream on us through heavy water. Next thing you know, I'm halfway through my backing thinking "here we go again."

But the fish was turned just in time, Sean expertly guided me through the fight, and we landed a gorgeous, colored up Native buck Steelhead. I've never been more excited about a fish. The first was great, but this fish was something special.

Admiring the catch of the trip. 

After removing our hook (and someone else's that this guy had lodged into his craw) and taking a few respectful photos we released him to swim away and hopefully fulfill his purpose.

Native Summer Steelhead. 

Despite Sean being a rookie on the Klick (though a Steelhead master in his own right!) we got the job done. Larimer's knowledge that he imparted on us certainly helped, and it was a weekend that I'll never forget.

I know that Steelheading is typically about putting in long hours, many casts, and getting a few, very significant rewards. I suppose that in a sense, I've put in my hours (albeit on gear), and this week was meant to happen. And with Steelhead now on my brain, all I can say is watch out. This guy is now officially in the game.

Small endorsement here... fish with Sean Visintainer. Great guy, great shop owner, and a ton of fun to fish with. www.silverbowflyshop.com (Spokane River, Grande Ronde, N. Idaho Cutthroat Rivers, etc)

Also... Tom Larimer of Larimer Outfitters. www.larimeroutfitters.com (Deschutes, Clackamas, and Hood River)