33 Degrees And Dotting The Sky

All week, the temps on the big river dropped a degree a day.

Shit.

From a snappy 38 to a frigid 33.

Shit.

You've heard it all before.  Dont bother swinging for steelhead when the temps drop in the range between frozen toes and tingling hands.  Well that's all fine and true, especially when you dont go.

Well here's a little tip........

Keep fishing.   Good things happen

OMR hooked this gigantic late season hen with water hovering above freezing.  I came around the corner of the run he was in to investigate his cries of "fish on" just in time to see the fish dot the sky with a 2 foot jump.

Even at 33 degrees, they'll still hunt the fly down and take you for a ride.

Riverside Spey Summit...

"No, seriously....the fish jumped 9 times and then snapped me off"

Sure it did, sure.

OMR holding court on the Big River.  No BS is ever spoken there.  Nooooooo way.

#12thManFlies For The Ladies...

With the upcoming seismic bomb of the Seahawks Superbowl coming up....why not be an equal opportunity feather wrapper and give the ladies some hawks bling for the big day.

Nothing like being the wandering guy in the craft store looking for earring hooks.  That's a joy

The initial response has been thunderous.  I guess I'll be on the vice a bunch this week

No Bronco colors will be made available.

Sasquatch Messes With Redfish

Fly Fishing New Orleans Redfish: Polar Vortex
from Joey Macomber on Vimeo.


Our boy Joey Macomber from Lateral Line Media and Colorado Fly Fishing Reports spent a little time in the NOLA march chasing redfish.  Polar vortex be damned, looks like they found some slab sized redfish to keep everyone happy

Turns out, Sasquatch has an above average double haul.

There's a hint at the end that this isnt the last time we'll see the hairy beast landing a redfish.

Fish Belize with Big R

I've said it before.  There's only one type of fishing that would and could make me ever forget about Steelhead.

Saltwater flats fishing.  It's is, in a phrase.......(earmuffs kids) fucking amazing.

In the mythical time we call "Dinkhood" at my house, I got the opportunity to go to San Pedro, Belize in 2008 and 2009.  While I am sure it's grown up a bit in 4 years, the place is laid back, safe and unreal beautiful.  We had daily shots at school after school of bonefish, tarpon and the elusive permit.

Enter this opportunity from Denver and the crew at the Big R Fly Shop.  A split trip gives you a double dose of Belize.  Part of the trip in San Pedro in Ambergris Caye, the other half south to Dangriga.

I've stayed in the hotel they're going to in San Pedro....and while it's not four stars, it is clean, comfortable with air conditioned rooms and a hell of a oceanfront bar.  That may or may not be where you all meet up after a day on the flats and everyone shares stories of success and failure.  Also, San Pedro's great because you have shots at all big 3 flats species, and snook, jacks, barracuda and more.

The second locale is from I've read....."Permit Central"  Need I say more

The trip looks value priced and if you're dying to get the hell out of the cold and into a line burning permit run, I highly suggest you give the guys a the shop ring and book your trip.

Sunlight and Shadow...

I'll just let the picture do the talking here.

Hey Obama....

Alrighty Big Man, we've a favor to ask....

The EPA's final draft assessment of the proposed Pebble Mine's impact on the Bristol Bay region of Alaska is in and it's as suspected.  If the mine goes in as proposed, significant and irreversible damage will be done to coastlines, streams, wetlands....you name it.  The 37 million estimated returning sockeye and other anadromous fish will be drastically put in the crosshairs.

Read more here from the EPA report itself  


Ladies and gents, this isnt the finish line.  Join Trout Unlimited's push to get this in front of our representatives and the President himself to put this issue to bed once and for all.

CLICK HERE to send the letter already drafted for you that clearly outlines what should be done.

The mine's financial backing is wavering.  After $571 million invested, Anglo American pulled out. Rio Tinto is on the verge.

Help us put the final nails in.   Send the email.

Crazy River Art...

Whatever crazy ass drugs the person was on who spray painted this mural,  he or she made a pretty damn unique pice of art.

Bypass Water

You never know what piece of water holds the fish.....until you put a fly through it

Here's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.  Junk Water.  Frog Water.

Runs that you've looked at a hundred times and said, "meh, no way"

We get so routine driven on our steelhead waters that it's hard to deviate from the normal daily progression of fishing.  Run A, B, and C, maybe D if  you have enough time

Sometimes, for shits and giggles, put the fly through that water.

A few years back we were floating a well known western trout river that has a lot of this bypass water.
It shocked the hell out of me when we started roping fish in water that looked like that 90 year old woman could walk faster than.

The point is that each place you fish has different characteristics that on its own, look like the worst place to fish....but on that water, something's going on that cause the fish to be there

I found two new runs on on my favorite steelhead river that I never thought about for more than a second before.

But dear god, do they hold fish.

Sunrise From The Blind

Geese are a fickle bird.  Late season honkers are an educated bunch

Throw a bunch of rookies out there....and the two birds we dropped were quite rewarding.

The learning curve for waterfowl hunting is steep.  Right now it reminds me of the first time I picked up a fly rod.  I get the basics, but consistent success comes from subtle nuance.

Still, we spotted a 5 pack from a ways away.  Flagged them in, called not poorly enough to get them to go away and had them into the spread.  A hearty cheer from the three other goose hunters rang out when the dog retrieved the massive Canadian Honker.

I think I like this goose game.  I like the challenge.  Now only to find more time to do it.

Routines and Superstition

We're a superstitious crew.  Talk of steelhead mojo is often based in routine and for us, that's 100% true.

Leaving Spokane at Dark O' Thirty in the morning, we arrive in Lewiston usually around sunrise. With hungry stomachs, we started stopping at a particular McDonalds for a little breakfast fuel before we hit the first run on either rivers we are headed to for the day

We get the same thing every time.  Every.  Time.

One time we eschewed pattern and tradition and had a terrible day.  No fish, no bumps, no nibbles.

On the way home that day, you have to try an assign blame to the fruitlessness of the fishing.

Ah HA!  No McDonalds.  That's it

We havent missed a Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscut Meal and Sausage, Egg and Cheese Meal since.

Dont mess with steelhead mojo.  Ever.