Monday, February 29, 2016

Visions of Spring-

With the temperatures in the mid to high 60's all week, spring fever is kicking in, even though
we are just ushering out February. Flybox's organized, new waders and boots, raft completely gone through and ready for another 400 -700 river miles this year. 
Let's get it started......

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Double Stripper

the prize, hard to find, hard to catch, worth the chase.
all the words written, do not speak of their true beauty.
thank you for sharing your river with me

Friday, February 26, 2016

OP Steelhead Excursion - A Side Trip


I all our visits to Seattle, we have never made it down to Pikes Market to visit all the 
vendors and see them throw some fish. As usual, it is a sight to be seen at 7:00 am
before the general public is up and going as the rest of the day, it is a goat show, with far too 
many people.

One surprise of our visit to Pike Market were all the flower vendors, and all the 
beautiful tulips and dried flower arrangements. If it were local, Mary would always have 
fresh flowers, as you cannot beat he prices.
Georgetown Brewing is one maker of Manny's Pale Ale, my favorite. We always visit the Cyclops 
Tavern to throw back a drafts. New this time from Georgetown was 1EyePA. Wow, what a terrific specialty IPA , just brewed for Cyclops.
Just a few great shots from the halls of Pike Market, Always like the 
glowing neon in the various locals we visit.
Wow, I wish we had some of these great deals offered too us on a daily basis.
It is amazing to see the hard to find fresh fish just sitting on ice. So fresh,....
So Delicious......

The great wall of gum, so disgusting, but something you must see if down at the market.
an entire wall where folks come from all over the world to depot there ABC gum.
On the rainy day we were their, folks were lined up to take pictures 3 deep, absolutely crazy, for chewed gum....


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Chuck's Midge by Flyfish Food

Olive Chuck's Midge
Hook: Daiichi 1120, Sz: 16
Thread: Uni 8/0 Olive
Bead: 2mm Silver Tungsten
Body: Veevus Pearl Tinsel
Rib 1: UTC Wire - Chartreuse Small
Rib 2: Coats and Clark Sewing Thread - Brown
Thorax: Olive Brown UV Ice Dubbiing



Monday, February 22, 2016

OP Steelhead Adventure

Again, we would brave the nasty weather the OP can deal out in February. Usually just rain, but, debilitating rain that can knock the rivers out of in one event.  Well, we decided to tangle with
good old mother nature, as she would deal the first blow of rain on Sunday night into Monday with an 
incredible 3.3" of rain. As you can guess this would blow out every river to epic proportions, moving many into flood stages and over the 15,000 to 20,000 CFS water marks. 
Remarkably, we would have three days away from the river, sightseeing, bowling and watching movies, watching the half-day river updates for sights of fishing. Finally on Thursday, flows and clarity would be decent enough to launch and fling a couple at steelhead that would be definitely on the move. 
Wow, would we be treated to some absolutely beautiful rivers and sights in pursuit of these silver bullets. The rainforest was in all her beauty, waterfalls would be pouring off all cliffs, all streams running full throttle, 
 Drifts were fast but if you got it in the right lanes, you were often rewarded. Hooking and 
landing these gems are entirely a different game. 
 The view from the dense canopy was stunning, imaging the cougars, elk and other critters that are out there roaming. No shortages of Bald Eagles, sat above to watch us fish our way down the river.

 Why we will sit out three rain days , the prize, oh so beautiful and powerful. 
WOW....


Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Send in Noah

Well the life of amatuers chasing steelhead hit a major hurdle today , as mother nature
is not playing nicely. A major front is parked right over the Pacific Coast creating some epic rain rain and river levels. Today alone the town of Forks recieved 2.89"

As We wake up this morning the following warning was posted to the Bogachiel River, our third river in the area

WAC009-161550- /O.NEW.KSEW.FL.W.0027.160216T1016Z-160216T2223Z/ /BOGW1.1.ER.160216T1016Z.160216T1200Z.160216T1323Z.NO/ 1050 PM PST MON FEB 15 2016
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a 
* Flood Warning for The Bogachiel River near La Push * from late tonight to Tuesday afternoon. * At 10:00 PM Monday the stage was 36.3 feet. * Flood stage is 37.0 feet. * Minor flooding is forecast. * Forecast...The river will rise above flood stage around 2 AM Tuesday and crest near 37.3 feet around 4 AM Tuesday. The river will fall below flood stage Tuesday morning. * Impact...At 37.0 feet...the Bogachiel River will cause flooding of State Highway 110 near the Bogachiel bridge...closing the road.



Day 1 was a bust as the rivers are blown outside the banks moving trees and probably creating 
some new channels. Ca couple of the rivers do not have gauges on the, but the graph on Calawah
crested over 11,000 CFS today and is still rising.

Our trip down to HOH river witnessed some very large torrent water , flowing at over 16,000 CFS
and rising. WOW some really water. Maybe we will get to fish on Wednesday!  Good thing our provision are in good supply.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Fist Full O Fun

A little summer throw back, to what fun throwing foam and rubber is. The soft subtle rises to slashing explosive takes make us come back time and time again, searching out new rivers and streams.
Fist full of Fun, ready to make it happen in 2016.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

" Softy "

" Softy "
by kuchynkaPHOTO

" Valentine's Day Love of a Soft Hackle "

Friday, February 12, 2016

Sprout Midge by Curtis Fry

Gem of a fly, a staple for every box. Flyfish Food knocks it out of the park
with this great little video, and this simple tie, however, not a lot of folks have these
in the various color combinations. A fantastic fly for all seasons of the year, like cake to 
fat man, I should know. Start tying.....

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Just Do It

 What at great resolution, to fish all twelve months of the year. So many of us
set out to fulfill this dream come January 1st each year, but the hassles of life get in way. 
Ben and his group of friends set out to capture there dream by fishing 12 MONTHS and sharing
their adventure with us.
Enjoy the ride....


Sunday, February 7, 2016

Ever Wonder



photo by Juan C. Levesque

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that a baby swordfish is extremely tiny, but for an animal that grows up to 10 feet long and weighs nearly 1,500 pounds, it's still astonishing to learn their offspring are so minuscule. Juan C. Levesque captured this amazing close-up of a baby sword fish perched atop a human fingertip for scale. Incredibly, this tiny fish will grow 29" in just the first year of life.





Friday, February 5, 2016

Project PX

Project PX
Hook: TMC 100 BL, Sz: 12-16
Thread: Tan 8/0 Veevus
Tail: Amber Z-Lon
Body: Montana Fly Orange Midge Thread
Wing: Blue Ribbon Flies X Caddis Hair
Dubbing: Tan Buggy Squirrel Dubbing

Thursday, February 4, 2016

C-Merf

C-Merf
Hook: Partridge Czech Nymph , Sz: 10-14
Thread: Purple Veevus 8/0
Bead: Montana Fly Purple Lucent Bead
Body: Senyo Fusion Dubbing - Fishmas
Rib: Uni B/R Purple
Thorax: Senyo Fusion Dubbing- Electric Grape