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......

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

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....

" Brownfish

 " Brownfish "

by kuchynkaPHOTO

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

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....

Baiterfish

" Baiterfish "

by kuchynkaPHOTO

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.

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.

" Softy "

" Softy "

by kuchynkaPHOTO

" Valentine's Day Love of a Soft Hackle "

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.....

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....

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.

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

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

" BLU MIDGE "

" BLU MIDGE "

by kuchynkaPHOTO