Of Origins and Tackle Boxes...

All fly fishing nut bags start here.

Your first tackle box.

Nobody starts with a fly rod.  It's something we ease into as coordination, strength and patience intersect at just the right time.  Might be 8, might be 14, or 30.  Who knows.

Top of the box is lined with an absolute mess of random fishing gear.

Pullout level one...sinkers, hooks and swivels.

Pullout level two.....gobs and gobs of walleye jigs.  They taste amazing dont they?

Pullout level three...the amalgamation of who knows what crossed with something that melted into the tackle box in the summer heat.

So on and so forth.

Back in your mom and dads garage, sits that tackle box.  Go and revisit it and it's my bet your remember why fishing is so damn fun. 

I Knew When I Became My Father When....

It wasn't when I knew fishing was the foundation of a good life.

It wasn't when I married a woman that I've found to be a lot like my mother.

It wasn't when I went into a very similar career field.

Nor was it when I had a son of my own.

No.....

It was when I realized that a whiskey-water is a hell of a drink.

No more Coke needed, just some H20 and a fine Canadian Blend.

That's all.

I am my father.

Detonation Studios Makes Everything Sexier...

Even a logo from some fishing blog....

Daaaaaaaaaamn.....

Check out out Ian's work here....BOOM

The Dominant Waist Pack on the Block--The Sage Typhoon Gear Review

As if you needed one more reason to ditch the fishing vest that weighs you down like a stack of TPS reports, well here's the ulitmate.

The Sage Typhoon Large Waste Pack is just left of amazing.  As a gear reviewer, I cant say everything is always roses but I really cant find too many things wrong with this piece.

Here are 11 reasons to add this highly technical piece of gear to your fishing arsenal, or at least give it consideration when your buddies make fun of you while you continue to wear that sweet vest you still rock.

1.  Its HU-MUN-GUS.  As in massive.  As in I think you can pack a small human in this thing.

2.  While it's big, it's extremely scale-able.   Put 3 full boxes and all your extras in and your good to go.  On the flip side, the underside cinches allow you retract its size and make it a lot smaller

3.  The construction is rock solid.  Beefy zippers.  A bazillion pockets.   Magnetic closure on the front pocket to allow you quick access to your tippet spools when that big brown gives you the finger at your 5x and you feel it necessary to go smaller.  Riiiiiight....

4.  Fully submersible.   When I fall in, it means I stand a chance my gear wont get trashed by water coming on in.

5.  It fricking looks cool.  Hell, I'm vain.  I know I am a gear whore.  Sue me.

6.  If you want to wear it over your shoulder, that option is there.  Dont be offended when someone calls it a manpurse.   Tell them their vest is a sweet 80's retro option and you respect hipsters, even on the river

7.  Padding makes it comfy.  See all that high tech padding.  It's yummy on ya hips.

8.  The underside cinches allow for you to throw a jacket in their for safe keeping

9.  I bet the durability factor is damn good.   Even for my clumsy arse.   It looks like it's made out of Kevlar.   Maybe not Kevlar, but close

10.  Sage is a Washington based company.  As a Spokane kid, I am partial to that factor.

11.  Beer, oh wait....water bottle pockets.  H20 pockets on both sides of your hip.  Or beer.  Or a flask.  Whatevah.

The only negative thing....I have to include something I would change if I was the designer, is maybe the color.  It's purely and aesthetic thing, but everything in fly fishing doesnt have to be brown or tan.
With that being said, this hip pack is awesome.  Give it a spin when you're next in the market for something like this.

Get more info HERE at the Sage Fly Fishing Web Site.

Skeena Sacred Headwaters Protection Event

 

 

This Thursday, we have an opportunity to join in on the protection of one of the world's last prolific salmon and steelhead watersheds.  The mighty Skeena and her sacred headwaters are in trouble, and read below on how you can join a great cause to help preserve this amazing land.

For a person like myself who has never been there but is planning my first trip to this steelhead Valhalla, I'd like to think it's going to be there for my son to fish someday.  I dont want to explain I did nothing when I couldnt have at least done something within my power to raise awareness of what is ahead of us it we dont act.

My guess is that you're in the same boat.

Read below and come say hi at the event this Thursday in Seattle.

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Please join us on June 21 for a discussion with Shannon McPhail, Executive Director of the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition (SWCC). Her organization is leading the local effort to protect some of the healthiest, most productive rivers on earth – the Skeena and her tributaries, including the famed Kispiox, Bulkley and Babine, home to the largest wild steelhead in the world.

Key to SWCC’s long-term effort is the prevention of massive coalbed methane development in the Sacred Headwaters, birthplace of the Skeena and two other great wild rivers of northern British Columbia, the Stikine and the Nass. SWCC helped secure a moratorium on this development in 2008. That moratorium expires this December. (See the links below for more information.)

This is a critically important time to take action to protect one of the most beautiful, most ecologically important landscapes on earth, and the three great rivers that rise from it. Your help is urgently needed.

Ms. McPhail will describe the history, work and accomplishments of the SWCC, and its effort to secure permanent protection for the Sacred Headwaters this year. An open discussion will follow her presentation.

This is your chance to learn about one of the most important – and most winnable – environmental protection campaigns underway in North America. You will leave with a clear understanding of the nature of the threat, the strategies for addressing it, the needs of the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition, and how you can help.

Imagine how good it would feel to celebrate one year from today your role in helping end one of the greatest threats ever to one of the greatest places left on Earth! Join us on June 21 to take the first step.

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The event is in Seattle  starting at 6:30pm at 5700 Airport Way, South Suite 265.  This Spokane kid thinks this might be the old Rainer Brewing Co. Building but dont hold me to that!

More info to be had at the Skeena Watershed website itself

In Advance of Father's Day

Some call us fish crazy.  Some call us a bit unbalanced.

We sometimes find it tough to reach much other that McGuane, Geriach and The Drake.

Talk revolves around flows, bird hatches, turkey gobbles, sinking and dry lines

Hey, did you see the latest film from Detonation Studios?  Yes son, I did.

Politics, Naaaaa.  World Issues, if we have to.

Family stuff, you bet.

Fishing and hunting issues, ALWAYS

Thanks Dad, happy upcoming Father's Day.  Can't wait to bring my boy into the fold as well.

The City of Lamont's Claim to Fame...

Year after year I have driven through this tiny town in Eastern Washington on our way to hunt pheasants and mule deer.   Lamont, Wa is extremely small, bordering on mini.

 Every time, this sign makes me chuckle. 

There's a 100 people in this particular burg, and just in case you were wondering, it's a nuclear free zone.

Makes you wonder, did a referrendum fail?  Was there a vote I missed?  Glad the fine citizens of this for-thinking town  looked down the road and didnt want to see another Fukushima.

Whew, thank goodness!

9 Out of 10 Grandma's Agree...

My sweet little ol' Grandma GeeGee.

So Troutrageous, does this make the PBR drinking crew more or less ironic?

Go read the post, it's reeeeely good.

By the way, GeeGee crushed the tall boy.  Then exclaimed, "that was delicious"

Every Steelheader Should Read This Post...

  

The essence of why we steelheaders love the game we choose to play seems to be written up in this spectacular post from The North Umpqua Fly Guide

Way to go Mark, what a well written piece

Read on now, about the Ghost Fish

   

Well This Options Out....

All I gots to say is SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET Guess I wont be floating this weekend.

Running the GoPro Like a Boss--Evolution Anglers

Shorts, Wet Wading, Browns, yuuuuuuup......summers coming

Check out this sweet video from The Vanilla Guerilla, not a bad way to waste a few minutes

Calling all Entries to Korkers Contest

Here's the deal ladies and gents.....

In the effort to run this contest all respectable like, I need you to send me your entries for the Korkers Truck Visor Fly Box contest.

Like Gsmolt, it doesnt matter if you have one lonely fly on a drying patch, or hanging off the rear view mirror, or like the contests name connotates, a visor with 50 flies.....send it in!

On Monday we will be assembling the gallery on Korkers FB page and the one who get's the most likes will win a pair or Metalhead Wading Boots.  Pretty damn nice set of footwear if you dont mind me saying.   Second gets a pair of Fisherman's Mocs and the third, a set of Rock Tracks.

So purdy please with sugar on top, send your pictures to

Jmills81 at hotmail dot com  by midnight Sunday night

Thanks in advance to anyone who can participate.  Good luck!