The Fish You Want The Most....

Is the fish you never see....

A full day of pounding the water in search of steel had resulted in a fatty goose egg.  A month away from the water put me on edge a bit, and I wanted to drain every once of my free day till the last drop of light had expired. 

The last two hours of fishing time had me guessing for our last spot and after some consideration, we settled on a run that I had fished a few years before and remembered in the back in my brain that at the right water level, should hold a willing fish. 

Should hold and would hold are two different things, but optomism for me always wins out.

I gave Dad the jump on the water and I followed down.   Half way down the run, OMR's rod bucked in agreement to the question if there were fish around.  The fish rolled and the golden brown and red spots confirmed a very large bull trout.  A trophy for this water, but not necessarily the quarry of our quest. 

Continuing down the bank, the water looked more and more perfect.  Medium walking speed current, bolders and the greenest water I have seen in a long time.

Tip tip....BAM, fish on.  The telltale heavy weight, quick initial run and back and forth head shakes confirmed we had found what we were looking for. 

4 or so minutes into the figh, the gut punch feeling of a snapped leader reported back....fish off.  

I felt like a five year old who just had their ball taken from them by an angry adult.  All I could do was kick the water and swear up a storm.  Little good it did, the fish was gone

And to the point.  Fish like that are the ones that stick in our brains more than any fish you have ever landed and taken a picture of.  The unanswered questions of what was fighting you out in the current can hang over you like a heavy fog.  

In this case, this fish was obviously a confused B-Run Buck, at least I tell myself that.

Bulls Eye....

Oh, why yes it is.  Yes it is. 

OMR found this beautiful bull trout while searching for a steelhead tug.  Lucky bastard.

Swim the Skeena in Spokane

If you are looking for an impactful way to spend this Friday night, I highly endorse going to this film at the Magic Lantern Theatre in Spokane.  Check out the particulars and find your way downtown on Friday.

A family obligation might keep me from seeing it this time, but it's buzzworthy event that should be seen.

4 Mills's on a River

This is probably one of my favorite pictures of all time.  My Father on his 70th birthday was surprised by his two brothers from Portland, OMR Jr and Jerry...the original Old Man River.

I got the pleasure of watching Jerry (80), OMR (70) and Larry (61) fish my favorite run on my favorite river together, all while teaching Larry the basics of spey casting. 

We had a tricky river crossing but all three of us had a great day.  Who knows if this occasion will ever happen again, and I cherise that day more than most.

Time To Join....The Native Fish Society

 























Ladies and gentlemen, I strongly urge you to join the Native Fish Society. 

With a mission like this

"To advocate scientifically sound conservation, protection and recovery actions for native fish and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest.

To monitor and influence public agency management decisions in favor of native fish.

To produce educational materials on native fish conservation through scientific reports, newsletters, action alerts, and the media.

To inventory and monitor the status and health of native fish populations and improve our understanding of native fish ecosystem function."

 I find it easy to support this organization.

 Joe from Evolution Anglers and I are coming with with a contest for a membership drive.  Stay tuned  for details, but it will be full of awesomeness.   Yes, I said it, full of awesomeness.

Take a few minutes to learn more by visiting the Native Fish Society Web Site and consider joining.

Paying it Forward.....Free Anti Pebble Mine Stickers

Recently a great swag package of goodies arrived at the Chucking Line and Chasing Tail household from blog buddy and all around good dude Sam from Headwaters of History.

Besides running his killer blog, he's the director of the Bristol Bay Watershed and Fisheries Protection Campaign for the Alaska Conservation foundation.  He keeps me in the know about the on goings in the fight to keep the Pebble Mine down.  If you're looking for a resource in this area, contact him asap.

Staring back at me was a gigantic pile of anti Pebble Mine stickers, and it occurred to me, it's time to pay Sam's generosity forward.

So here's the deal.  The first 15 people to drop me a comment here on this blog post with their email address, I will send them a sticker free o charge.

In the comment, let me know how you're going to rock the sticker to let everyone who see's it what side you're on.

Oh, Ray's Boathouse.........

Please stop selling ESA listed Wild Steelhead from the Olympic Penninsula

Last year, we all helped to moved the once thought immovable stone and helped to convince The Pikes Street Fish Market that it wasnt a good idea to sell Wild Steelhead.   That was a great victory

Now reports have come in that Ray's Boathouse in Seattle is selling it. 

While I have never been there, it might be good for us to voice our collective opinions on this subject

Email Rays@rays.com

And here's a tip.  When you go to voice your opinion, stay respectful and within the facts.  Break away the emotion and what we feel and let them know why it's not a good idea for them to offer this course on their menu.  Only through polite discourse will a positive outcome be the result.

Pebble Propaganda....

Ahh, huh....sure. 

The Pebble Partnership has released a series of ads that, well....are pretty heavy on the propaganda

Sam at Headwaters of History alerted me to this BS and as a stated goal of this blog, I am doing what I can to help stop the worlds largest open pit mine.  One thing they fail to mention, the size and scope of the project

Potentially 54 miles wide, and earthen damns 8 miles long at the headwaters of the worlds most productive salmon habitat. 

This Fraiser River ad misses a big fact that the 2009 run was only 7% of what was expected.  8 million sockeye vanished into thin air.

We're in a battle here folks.  

God I want to jump a Tarpon....

In the inbox came an email from Brian Jill of Lost Coast Anglers and I have half a mind to leave Spokane's Snowpocalipse right now, jump on a plane and get down to Central Florida

Brian's was part of some of the most inspiring fly fishing cinematography in the history of our industry in AEG's films, and word on the blog street is that Motiv Fly Fishing Trips to Mexico is going to give us the next volley of next level shit.

Right now, he's hooking folks up for less on his trips for Tarpon.  I sugguest you hit up the link if you're headed his way and find out what that offer is....(it's pretty coo!)

Judging by Brian's gallery, I'd say that he knows what hes doing.....

A Pretty Average Steelhead....

Ummmm, NO!

Fly fishing degenerate council member Marky P ran into this beast on the big river last week.  Holy shit!

This monstah makes all other fish we've caught this year look like minnows.

After a quick photo opp, this buck was sent on it's way to do it's job.

Procreate.

And yes, Sean V does have a beautiful smile.....

Whats in a name? I'll tell ya....

Newest assignment from the Outdoor Blogger Network...

"Why did you name your blog what you did?"

I wanted to encompass my two biggest outdoor passions.  Bringing them into one name for a blog and yet making it catchy was something I thought would take a long time.

I'd like to say that it came after a long period of pensive thought, research and focus groups at the fly shop.

Nope, it came to me in the shower.  Seriously.

The first phrase "Chucking Line" is homage to how much time we spend waving our silly little fly rods around in the quest for a connection.   A lot can be said to how much time and thought we put towards our gear, our lines, our flies.  It's a somewhat manageable obsession for me right now

Secondly, "Chasing Tail" isnt some reference to the Jersey Shore and its village full of idiots;

Nope, here's the real situation.  It's the combination of the  two things that have tail that I chase.

Game birds and every stinking fish out there. 

I get a chuckle sometimes when I tell people my blog name as if it's some sophomoric reference to going out on the town, "chucking line" to girls and chasing their tail. 

No, and thankfully when you Google search the name, my site comes way before any illicit sites that's a play off my blog's name. 

So the name stuck and I went about pouring my thoughts out there like a squawking parrot.  

Through a couple hundred of posts, it's brought me a lot, namely an increased connectivity to the outdoor community.  I'd had the opportunity to get to know some new people I never would have met if it wasn't for this blog.   I think that's pretty damn cool if you ask me.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you continue to come back. 

I have big plans for this little outpost in space.  Look for those changes, good changes, coming soon!

A Rising Sun and a Cold Wind...

Makes for a beautiful morning afield.  Doesn't it?