A Prompt and Thorough Ass Kicking

I have never been so destroyed by a steelhead than this one I never saw, and absolutely couldnt land

With available fishing space gone, I traversed around the basalt ledges and get to a spot that I can make a half decent cast.  Before cast #1, I say to my buddy Ryan these prophetic words...

"I am screwed if I hook a fish"

And in the first cast....I was

About 3 minutes after the video ends, the hook pulled and the game was over

I never saw it, could hardly move it, and had the feeling the fish was playing me the entire time

Yo Adrienne, Your Flies Work

Last week, some amazing mail hit the doorstep.  10 beautifully crafted flies from one of the preeminent ladies in the sport of fly fishing and custom steelhead fly tying, Adrienne Comeau.

Turns out, about 5 casts after I tied this fly on...

We had a player. 

Seriously, these flies are damn amazing.  Perfectly proportioned, good pop and great colors. 

Interested in learning more about Adrienne's talent on the vice, visit her site

The Female Angle

The Biggest Thank You I Have...

You know that feeling you get when you're so stinking happy, you kind of feel like your floating.

Yeah, that was Tuesday night the 19th at our Spokane Premier of Low and Clear to benefit the Wild Steelhead Coalition.

The fishing community came out in force for a great night of fun, conservation, a stunning film and a great cause.  Also, to win a piece of the mountain of gear and trips that were generously donated from across the fly fishing industry.

To put things in perspective as to how much of a success it was, in our first year holding a fundraiser for the WSC,  approximately 150-160 great people showed up to our event and helped us raise $2,000.

This year, we blew it out of the water.  Somewhere in the 260-270 packed the Lincoln Center and opened their wallets and gave to the tune of $6500.  Actually the amount was more towards $7500 but in throwing an event like that, you do have a few expenses like venue rental, printing costs and the like.

It has turned into more of a regional event as people came from Vancover, Portland, Moscow/Pullman, Missoula, Chewelah and other towns that dot our area.  Friends referred friends and brought new fly fishing enthusiasts to the show.  Children came and in some cases, won a ton of schwag which made us all happy and excited to watch their faces light up as they claimed their raffle prizes

Bob Margulis, the new Executive Director of the Wild Steelhead Coalition came from Seattle and was grinning ear to ear the whole night.  I think he was still smiling at our breakfast wrap up meeting the following morning.

Old friends and new friends and people I dont know from Adam had a great night.  The film, if you havent seen it, is absolutely enthralling and captivated the audience to the point where you could hear a pin drop in the room and then erupt in laughter when the time was right.  It's so different to any other fishing film and truly, it speaks to the duality of all of us when we fish.  Do we do it the easy way or do we continue in the face of failure to do it the hard way.....the way you want it to happe?

To all my volunteers, to my family who was ready to help in any way, to my wife who put up with me taking time away from the family to plan the event...

To the vendors, the guides, the conservation organizations who all played a part

To anyone who shared this with their friends, promoted it via their web sites, to the reporters and artists,

To my great friends at the Silver Bow Fly Shop for their support and help getting the word out

To the little girl who saved up 8 quarters for her two raffle tickets and anyone who came and opened their wallets to the degree they could

The biggest thank you I can give.  Times a thousand.

I am still on cloud 9

To next year, we're going to do it again!

Crazy Big List O' Schwag...

Want Some?  Come join us this Tuesday at the Lincoln Center in Spokane and you just might win some gear

Here's the list of what's up for grabs in 2 days.  

Donated Guided Trips

Grande Ronde River—Rick Hedding

SW Montana Trout —Joe Willauer, Evolution Anglers

North Oregon Coast Steelhead—Justin Crump, Frigate Adventure Travel

Vancouver Island Steelhead—Yos Gladstone, Chrome Chasers BC

Clearwater River Steelhead—Adam Kusler, CW Steelhead Syndicate

N. Umpqua River Steelhead—Mark Stangleand, N. Umpqua Fly Guides

Klickitat River Steelhead—CJ Emerson, The Evening Hatch

Five Dollar Raffle

Redington Sonic-Pro Waders

Korkers KGB Boots                              

Allen FF Fishing Rod/Reel Combo       

Sage Kenektok Pullover                        

Filson Messenger Bag                           

Home Energy Audit                             

2 tickets to Sante Dinner

Christina Dubel Print

Filson Vest

Redington Practice Rod

Rising Hip Pack

Simms Pant Waders

One Dollar Raffle

Olive the Woolly Bugger Books         

Deneki T-shirts/Hat                              

Fly Lines                                                      

Loon Hats/Shirts                                    

Promont Outdoor Apparel                  

Sacred Headwaters DVD/Shirts       

Hatch Hats/T Shirts                               

Ibex Base Layers                                     

Filson Reel Cover/Flask/Gloves       

Alaska TU Bristol Bay Sweatshirt     

Fishpimp Hats/Shirts                           

Flying Goat Gift Certificates/Hoodies

Sasquatch Hoodies-Lateral Line Media

NW Outfitters Donations

Denny Charles Custom Net

Felt Soul Media DVDs

Stripin FlyWear Shirts

Film Tour Hats

Simms Key Chains

Free Fly Sun Masks/Hats

Fiberglass Manifesto Gear

Cheeky Hat/T Shirts

Custom Tied Flies

Fishpond Chest Pack

---

Hope to see you all there, doors at 6pm, Low and Clear starts at 7pm ish...or whenever we stop BS'ing to hit the play button

More info available HERE

The Tree Shall Fall....

Each year, it leans a little more.  With each flood, it's strength is weakened

It keeps guard over one of the greatest runs on any steelhead river you'll ever see.

But soon, it will come down, and so with it the stories of steelhead caught and smiles.

What a glorious pine it is.

Swinging the Murk....

The water was a mix of steelhead green and chocolate milk.  Enough to give you hope, and the same amount of doubt to make you think "hell, this aint going to happen"

Stepping into the flow, boots disappeared after about a foot and a half......making us realize we were going to have to hit them on the nose.

OMR gave Ryan the first run honors and about 10 minutes in tight to the bank on the hangdown, something fishy blew him up and took him for a ride.

Moral of the story, keep swanging the murk and good things are going to happen!

When A 2 Year Old Is On The Vice...

Oh the choices for Big C to choose from....

It would fish, I'm sure of it.

Finding The Sound...

Beautiful moving pictures from Bobby Foster.  Cant wait to see more work from him in the near future.

Winter Steelhead Fly Contest Voting

17 beautiful flies were submitted for the Winter Steelhead Fly Contest sponsored by Loon Outdoors.

This exquisit fly was submitted by Mark Yuhina of Massachusetts....I'd swing the hell out of it!

Great prizes are up for grabs, help the people out who submitted and vote with your "likes" in the gallery on the Chucking Line and Chasing Tail FB page.

Contest ends Friday at 6pm, good luck to all who took the time to enter..