Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Ultimate Montana Fly Fishing Giveaway


























The crack research staff at Millsfly has unearthed the mother load of giveaways

Over $5,000 in product and experiences from 12 companies should have you all salivating

The good folks at BIG SKY ROD BOX are behind this massive schwag pile and the final drawing is
May 22nd.

Take a peek at the site that fully details the giveaway, rules, regs, etc by clicking HERE.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Junk Mail...
































I dont get it.

The mail arrived Saturday and there was another one.  A fat envelope stuffed with pleas and offers from a big time conservation group.

My personal favorite, a shiny new nickel was tacked to one of the 7 pieces of paper in the envelope.

Did I mention there was a sheet of stickers?

All of the pieces push a worthwhile cause, but at what expense?

These conservation organizations, some of the biggest in the game, seem to be reducing their messaging to the same pile of mail that the credit card offers go into

Junk Mail.

Aside of that, I have to assume that the tens of thousands of these offers go out, a vast majority end up in the trash system.

Fundraising is the lifeblood of these organizations, and in now way am I saying these people are not smart but do these things really work?

I'd love to know.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Patagonia's Dam Campaign...







































The Damnation movie effected me like no other outdoor film ever has.  It's reclamation of past wrongs, it's rebirth, it's beautiful.

With the successful removal of Condit, Glines Canyon and Elwa Dams, the eye is on the big prize

The lower 4 Snake River Dams.

Over 70,000 people signed the petition to urge President Obama to crack down on deadbeat dams and now Patagonia has released an ad urging Washington residents to call our senators on the issue of the lower Snake River Dams

Click HERE learn more about this campaign

More and more freight is leaving the Port of Lewiston, and more and more are questioning the need for these run of river dams that add very little to the power grid and put undo stress on migrating salmon and steelhead.

I believe in my lifetime these dams will come down and we will see a renaissance of our inland rivers that we can hardly imaging.  I believe the impact to the economy will be great and people will rediscover what I have only read about.

A free flowing lower Snake River.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

North 40 Fly Shop Sandpoint Film Fest



















For the third year in a row, I will be the big dumb animal on stage MC'ing the Sandpoint Fly Fishing Film Fest, put together by the fine folks at the North 40 Fly Shops this weekend.

I've learned important lessons when MC'ing events, namely dont let the degenerates of the fly shop push microbrews on you in copious amounts before you go on stage.  Lets just say my first year I am pretty sure I said Pend Oreille like it sounds phonetically, not how it's actually pronounced, many times on stage.

Apparently it wasn't that bad because they keep asking me back!

It's an awesome two night event with Friday showing of F3T and Saturday runs IF4 at the historic Panida Theater in downtown Sandpoint, benefiting the Pend Oreille Water Festival and The  Panhandle Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Now there has been a lull in recent years with the films in these tours, but I have seen both editions as they rolled through Spokane and I can honestly say that these films have taken it up a notch both in storytelling and cinematography.   Think less "bro-brah", high fives and fast music, more conservation and story development

I hope to see you in the crowd this weekend

Also, dont miss the Saturday the 25th demo day at the North 40 Outfitters location in Ponderay from 11a-3p with reps on hand and the ability to cast different rods till your hearts content

Get more info on the weekend's activities by clicking HERE

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

#PhatSeries Bugs




































I have to tell what, when I first saw these steelhead bugs I said....meh, no way.

Drop shot hooks on a dryline?  Yeah right.

Then I started fishing them...


























They crush.    That is all.

I cannot take credit for these bugs in any way, as I first saw these off the vice of the legendary Leland Miyawaki of Orvis in Bellevue

Give them a shot.  The strikes are nothing short of savage.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Steelhead Summit Coming April 18th...













































Interested in learning about the state of Steelhead, especially in regards to the Skagit River Basin and it's current recovery?  Then make plans to be at the  April 18th Steelhead Summit in Seattle at  the Center for Uban Horticulture building 

The Wild Steelhead Coalition, Wild Steelheaders United and The  Wild Fish Conservancy will be on hand along with noted speakers and biologists John McMillen, Dick Burge Bill McMillen and many more.

The focus will be on the continued recovery of the Skagit River and it's Steelhead stocks.

Get more info on the days agenda by clicking HERE

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Playing Guide...


























"Nope, I've got the rowing today"

"Are you sure"

"Yes, you bet"

I've rowed and fished this stretch of river many times, I know every twist and turn and likely pocket to hold fish.  Expert I am not, but it's safe to say I know the playbook on this piece of water.

What I hadnt seen in a while was someone's face light up as a fast rising cutthroat levitates up out of nowhere, pauses and then inhales a huge piece of foam and legs.

In my day job, clients become friends and I had the chance to take a husband and wife team out for their first float in my cutty nirvana.   They're previous home in Colorado dictated long leaders and delicate 7x presentations of small midges.

Lets just say picking and popping your casts on the move with a size 4 chubby takes some getting used to.

The fish were willing dance partners all day long.  The only fly changes  we made were from big bugs to small PMD's that were causing the river to come alive with rising fish for 2 hours.  Beyond that, it was like I was a point guard directing traffic, delivering the pass and waiting for the bugs to get snarfed.



























It was experience that I wont soon forget.  Watching my new friends take the whole day in, unravel the stress of moving to the area and getting settled and realize they had found a new home in a pretty special area of the world was awesome.

Three quarters through the day, the wife buttoned up her rig, sat down and lit a smoke.

"hey, dont miss this good water ahead"

"Oh, it's ok, I'm just so happy about today I need to take it in for a minute"

She continued to fish after about 10 minutes, but that statement alone was payment enough for a day playing guide.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Soul River Continues It's Mission....




Chad Brown and the entire Soul River crew are continuing it's mission of healing veterans and introducing inner city youth to the outdoors.

Take a peek, and if you can help his cause, get more info on donating by clicking HERE

Thursday, April 2, 2015

A Little Piece of Swing The Fly...












































The new edition of Swing the Fly is out and ready for your viewing/reading pleasure

In the interest of tooting my own horn a bit, I am honored to have a small piece in this one on page 76 and 77.  Take a few minutes and check it out