Friday, May 31, 2013

Flies of Gratitude....
























Recently a great friend of mine presented an opportunity to create flies for a donor to my college.

Apparently, the guy is a devout steelhead fisherman with a trip to the Dean scheduled later this summer.

My flies in the grill of a chrome Dean steelhead, sign me up.

































It's always fun to create for someone else, especially when it's a fellow steelhead fisherman who also is so helpful to the university that helped shape who I am

So with 12 flies off the vice, I enlisted the pro level wrapping skills of the Vanilla Gorilla at Evolution Anglers to round out the custom order.

























His flies are next level and I have to think the gentleman will be right happy with the 24 flies that he will use as he plies the water of the Dean in search of some chrome bright rockets























 A big thanks to the great folks at Montana Fly Co. for their donation of a waterproof fly box to round out the order







Monday, May 27, 2013

Reel Son, Reel....








































Because there's a fish on the end of the line....

"ok da-dee, I weel it in"

Magic words to a fish obsessed father.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Can't Find These In A Cubicle....
























You cant find these beauties in the office.  

Go do what OMR's doing well, and that's getting busy living.

Today.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Get To Know Camille...

Camille Egdorf | ALLEN Pro Staffer from Detonation Studios on Vimeo.

This lady's got it going on.

Allen Fly Fishing Pro Staffer Camille Egdorf explains her thoughts on life and fly fishing.

Lots and lots of fly fishing

Camera Skills by the good fellers at Detonation Studios

Thursday, May 16, 2013

The Resource Paradox of The Tongass























Eternal and everlasting returns versus short term gains

What’s worth more?

This is the central question to the protection of America’s Salmon Forest in Southeast Alaska.  The Tongass,  Namely The Tongass 77

The Tongass is massive.  It’s huge. Its so big, so diverse, so unique.  So unlike any other ecosystem in the world.

Right now, The Tongass needs protection so it can survive in perpetuity.  There’s 77 distinct watersheds that are the backbone of the salmon and wildlife web that are so irreplaceable that Trout Unlimited of Alaska and other conservation groups have named these watersheds as the most important of the entire region.

So choices are presented, and you have to decide what’s the best way to use our resources. 

A couple of generations accumulate wealth versus an entire region maintaining it’s economic lifeblood for generation, after generation after generation

It’s the thousands of linear board feet opposed to the 17,000 miles of cool clear streams and flawless spawning gravel for all 5 species of Pacific Salmon, char, resident rainbows and steelhead.

Its privatization of what is now public lands or keeping them for the public good forever.

It’s a proactive approach to conservation as opposed to waiting for the inevitable decline…..and then reacting with a mitigation plan that’s akin to  putting a band aide over a flat lining heart attack.

It’s silt vs spawning gravel

Cedar stumps or Chinook salmon

Gold versus Coho

Commercial fisherman, guides and their families versus several proposed hydroelectric projects around Southeast Alaska.

It’s wave after wave of sockeye salmon completing their lifecycle and bringing ocean based nutrients to the entire stream, forest and animal versus stock prices.

The paradox of resources will always battle on but the answer to this is question is obvious.

Protect the Tongass, America’s Salmon Forrest forever.

Activate yourself now and get involved by learning more at www.americansalmonforrest.com




The Last Salmon Forest IF4 selection from Detonation Studios on Vimeo.


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This is my submission to the Trout Unlimited 2013 Blogger Tour sponsored by FishpondTenkara USA and RIO, and hosted by the Outdoor Blogger Network.








Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Silver Bow Gear Swap...This Saturday!

























This Saturday is the greatest fly fishing yard sale you'll ever find.

From 9a-6p at the Silver Bow in Spokane, the annual Gear Swap descends upon the shop grounds.

It's a yard sale / fly fishing gear whore's nirvana.....and you can sell your gear and earn shop credit or cash in your pocket for the stuff that's collecting dust in your collection.

All your questions regarding the Gear Swap shall and will be answered HERE.

See you there!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Talons Make Big Holes.....





In a trouts head.

Poor little stocker trout, what a ride it's had.

Grow up in a concrete tank.

Eat compressed dog food pellets

Get dumped into a lake.

Swim around in it's new digs, get snatched up by the resident Osprey

Squirm free,  chomp down on a chironomid, oh wait....shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Stunning....

sea-swallow'd from ryan peterson on Vimeo.

Just watch this thing 5 or so times.  Please.  You really should

Then tell me that the Pebble Mine is a good idea while trying to retain your soul.

What a film

Monday, May 6, 2013

Brookie Porn of the Gratuitous Nature
























Yeah, I'm mega long arming it it.....who cares, it's a maaaaaasive brookie.


In the NW, lakes with brookies, ah hem....big brookies come few and far between.  Somehow, some way, on two separate occasions I found a few of these thugs that cruise a lake 15 minutes from my house

Enjoy!
























A few crazy things about these two fish:

1.  Came on two separate trips

2.  Literally were caught within 20 feet of each other

3.  Have only caught brookies from that same spot on the lake

4.  On the first trip, I was accompanied by some guy from MAINE.  He only caught rainbows, and I only caught his state fish

Get some this spring!

Friday, May 3, 2013

An Introduction To the Predator/Prey Relationship







































"Whappen to da feeshes head dada?'

Well son, that fish is about to become dinner

"We eeeet et"

Yes son, we fish and sometimes we eat those fish.

"oooooh"

Welcome to the predator vs prey relationship.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Promont Outdoors 2013 Spring Lineup
























Promont Outdoors from Bozeman, MT is moving on up.

Weston Paul and crew have recently released a vastly expanded lineup of shirts, hats and fly patches that you're going to really dig.

The fly patch system is my favorite.  I almost destroyed the visor of my previous truck by hanging flies out of it.   THESE little guys solves that problem right quick.

Promont is a great upstart company that you really should check out.  The passion of the family owned company working it's way along to improve their lineup and offerings to the outdoor community is very, very apparent.

View their gear by clicking Promont's tagline, BE THERE!