tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71883831382836453372024-03-05T14:47:20.730-06:00The HeadHunterA blog devoted to Steelhead & Salmon Rivers.Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-67130860973849960762016-06-13T21:22:00.003-05:002016-06-13T21:23:10.950-05:00The Oregon Coast Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In March of 2014, my usual fishing partner, Rusty, and I were joined by his son, Caleb, and my father. We searched the Oregon Coast for winter steelhead. Starting at the Nestucca we worked our way south checking the various river systems as we went. The Alsea, the Smith, The Elk and the Sixes, and finally the Umpqua. The fishing never materialized, and it maybe that we should have stuck it out, however anglers that I spoke to later who had stayed on the Nestucca did not find any fish and reported a lot of pressure.<br />
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For me this trip has grown in importance, because it was my one and only chance to share my passion for steelhead and steelhead rivers with my father, who unexpectedly died a year later. All of our travel from river to river, offered he and I lots of time of sitting and talking. We always enjoyed windshield time, and we often travelled together for deer hunting adventures in the fall, and though I was luke warm on hunting at best, our hours of drive time made me want to go. Now the views and experience of driving the Oregon coast, made for a memorable backdrop for a time together. <br />
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On an early day of our trip my dad and I hiked into a pool sitting at the end of a beaver-tail. The clear, blue, green cascading down from upstream, and the white water rolling for hundreds of yards below made the pool look too promising not to hold a fish, but if they were there, we never found them. but cast after cast our hearts beat a little faster as first he and then I worked our way through the short run. feeling like a fish would strike at any moment.<br />
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We worked through this run twice. We then hiked back out, so we could meet up with Rusty and Caleb. We stopped on our way to admire the scenery. Coastal rivers have a lot to offer when it comes to natural beauty.<br />
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On one beautiful coastal river we caught cutthroat just a few mile from salt. It was on this same river, a ways up a dirt road that we met one of the most unique characters, a memorable man with wild stories to tell. We bought him a beer at the general store/ tavern and listened as he spun tales of his time in this unique land.<br />
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He had spent years along this coastal river and much of his story left my, and Caleb's jaw hanging.<br />
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Our journey brought us eventually to the Umpqua River. I had promised everyone that we would have the most wonderful breakfasts at the Steamboat Inn and wouldn't even have to remove our waders or boots. Unfortunately, the Inn was closed, and my promise was broken. But we had some great camping on the river. My dad was very impressed with Rusty and Caleb's competence in setting a camp, he mentioned it to me several times. My dad grew up camping and always yearned for the opportunity spend nights in the woods. <br />
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The Umpqua was high and hardly had any other anglers on it, but we found enjoyment swinging the holy water near the inn, and some other runs on the lower river. We didn't get any thing, but we had a good time. at the end of our second day on the Umpqua, Rusty and Caleb continued their journey south and towards home, while my dad and I headed north to Portland and the Clackamas.<br />
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Once we arrived at the Clackamas we fished a few runs. By this time in the trip we were pretty tired and were ready for some down time, we checked into our hotel and ordered a pizza. Then we turned on HBO and watched a Harry Potter movie. I cant explain why that last part was so great, but it was. My dad told me several times how much he had enjoyed the trip despite the lack of fish. I was planning a summer steelhead trip for us in the fall of 2015, but that just didn't work out.<br />
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-90719029149618319092016-06-13T20:05:00.001-05:002016-06-13T20:05:39.818-05:00The Snake River - Washington/Idaho<br />
Even though the Snake has been massacred by dams, it is still incredible. In many ways that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOywBC68DXm76V7NYbv6dsQeAbzyN5UBweloHIA6MG6Ti5ga1oBt0j10VhYyW9A6gtrlkMhRYson1DfbAMfWuWEbc6tRvrNvWV3a-Vebsnhq2tAly2WxbpF8UsOfUnpxIr_nef41UTM2d/s1600-h/Copy+(2)+of+br+snk+river+steelhead.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345122986422687794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOywBC68DXm76V7NYbv6dsQeAbzyN5UBweloHIA6MG6Ti5ga1oBt0j10VhYyW9A6gtrlkMhRYson1DfbAMfWuWEbc6tRvrNvWV3a-Vebsnhq2tAly2WxbpF8UsOfUnpxIr_nef41UTM2d/s200/Copy+(2)+of+br+snk+river+steelhead.jpg" style="float: left; height: 160px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>makes it worse. The Snake was a national treasure, it carried steelhead and salmon so far inland that Nevada once had native <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfChyphenhyphendnZs5WiCZ4qFLIzJcVsDk8dcKQ1BjkvFoSssXRTzwB2TQNbgSriOOakbt69lP91Fx2nDdchoeN8_Xv-Q0iqWWHWiLcmQoBkr-yoxx0m0Brn4WWZ9b89O5975ecWWFwzef4Qj_kzRQ/s1600-h/PA170264.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394796551968494066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfChyphenhyphendnZs5WiCZ4qFLIzJcVsDk8dcKQ1BjkvFoSssXRTzwB2TQNbgSriOOakbt69lP91Fx2nDdchoeN8_Xv-Q0iqWWHWiLcmQoBkr-yoxx0m0Brn4WWZ9b89O5975ecWWFwzef4Qj_kzRQ/s200/PA170264.JPG" style="float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>fish populations. Those unique populations are now no more, but the Snake still exists and fishing her waters is humbling.<br />
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The Snake is a very big river. Only the experience it self can describe what it feels like to cast out from the rivers edge. Many anglers that have fished the Deschutes would agree that it is a big river, and yet the Dechutes is but a quarter of the size of the Snake. <br />
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I spent a week on the Snake recently and when I took an afternoon off and drove up to the Red Shed Fly shop on the Clearwater, the river looked absolutely small in comparison to the Snake.</div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394803316965955586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrP7_TaBBdQCzpWilW5eyrDMGM5zdW18ZVCvRCdaccQvIL3CAn8SFg0rq18R3VNa1lutWPAHbZ3hHG8SftVqQnApNaMBNzVDQolUKpKFYD2X5X8e12rwjS3Dm0QtN2fEMr3lWBbWLIqe0I/s400/PA120146.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauWBhWztQgAR0iSUJpRoyUstWtKDI4E7FDXmYytVcLB7A2ur8RBGvsb1rEqeHtmDbPy8T0zqHM3oNVFgd2lCFqeUsyQV3agfZQW_cbWPJqDnjBCOgEjBS7EJs6vSUjpfIjWv86HhTQ3Bn/s1600-h/IMG_0649_Small%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345122982579170914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauWBhWztQgAR0iSUJpRoyUstWtKDI4E7FDXmYytVcLB7A2ur8RBGvsb1rEqeHtmDbPy8T0zqHM3oNVFgd2lCFqeUsyQV3agfZQW_cbWPJqDnjBCOgEjBS7EJs6vSUjpfIjWv86HhTQ3Bn/s200/IMG_0649_Small%5B1%5D.jpg" style="float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>From the town of Asotin up to Hellars Bar, Where the Grande Ronde dumps in, The Snake fishes well with a fly. All though the river will seem crowded, with all of the jet boats and roads anglers around, I have found that an angler looking for classic steelhead runs will often find this water open. Most of the anglers I have come across focus either on the slow, laminar runs of the lower snake or they are fishing Hellar's bar. The boats will mostly avoid the fly runs because of how shallow they are.<br />
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I like looking for shallow runs that have some chop on the rivers surface. This is not hard to find on the Snake. On my last trip my friend Rusty and I were able to find several spots that fit the bill perfectly. And once we found a few of these spots it was not long before we started finding Steelhead.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394801478573734178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_67HVIwGbv4SJ9q7hCnyQdDpA_wt0WkGvHniQtAsAuxIF2vZr_Kf4MATdRWR37UAzgKOa2M7ysRSJA3zXnz7cNrxWoNH0hp5336ZqeySU7P_d5BZY0Y3zZUsIwG7psuXvrSDZW-u6zKE/s400/PA120133.JPG" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" />As for flies on the Snake, I have caught fish on every thing from a 1/0 black Marabou to a #7 purple green-butt. My go to fly however, I guess, would be a #3 Yellow Jacket. This is a spey fly that uses a dyed yellow pheasant rump for hackle over a black body and uses a black wing, I think it is both buggy and pretty so I fish it, but I have also caught Snake steelhead on Akroyds, purple speys, black speys, Harry Lemire patterns, you name it. it seams like they like flies.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394801491101963634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW94GKqDXvLcV0Zq4_gv_vJASHknxaopTOrvdi6lDYTr1sqRIqK24QLqwW-tKYwMwLCvbF5JlNQbyJ8bfwpNMqQ-5A2kg6ELC6qI2Ga5o6pvx5jANnaIYLwaXPqApFKA4rMWR5ASUCx6f1/s400/PA150196.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />There are classic runs and bars, and lots of spots that look like nothing from a distance, but are epic and fishy when you are on them. Alot of these hidden gems fish like classic water allowing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6aUulqR8dS59yJUE5jFwdcJBGM5TG73CiKbcLpLxHI7w5YNNV7cXAq7o6yLPdtaK-YV8AZujjzWyR-Momj-ZYY9K3TdwFcBN3Sq8iZSBKWaf7y_GguZBOa-mp56DFA0S-VVZLboRxeeM/s1600-h/PA120120.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394796558894606498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6aUulqR8dS59yJUE5jFwdcJBGM5TG73CiKbcLpLxHI7w5YNNV7cXAq7o6yLPdtaK-YV8AZujjzWyR-Momj-ZYY9K3TdwFcBN3Sq8iZSBKWaf7y_GguZBOa-mp56DFA0S-VVZLboRxeeM/s200/PA120120.JPG" style="float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 150px;" /></a> for long casts and will often take an hour or more to fish through.<br />
The big runs and relatively small fish that are common on the Snake, left me looking for just the right two handed rod. The river handles a floating line really well in late October. I ended up getting a Loomis 15' 7/8wt Grease Liner and have paired it up with a couple of long belly lines, so now I can launch a long line and enjoy a 5-6lb fish, which is great. On my latest trip I caught several steelhead on this 15' Loomis, they were great. I also fished a Thomas & Thomas DH1409/5 with the same Nextcast 95' 8/9 line and I found that it was even easier to cast and the little bit of extra power was great when it was time to land a fish, and I would say that no enjoyment was lost from the fight. Now, due to the success of the T&T DH1409/5, I have picked up a DH1509/3 for next years trip. (which subsequently sold and replaced with a Greaseline 16' 9/10)<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394797478137159794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7suAzyZPT2O1da-UX8hcMSIkSqCfy8qjg0RrGGXM6n2vW1Bzn_nfq5Fzz7wUsGNJcW_1aPOgmeNSHrF4U96dbfpLe5gcQTKFVEb_l9a5JMhEELvneXojPf4Sv6xPg9QwV1YWHLGrMuqP/s400/PA120138.JPG" style="display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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<strong>2010: Tough but still got a few fish</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFQaKBWwQGgG6TSUT3P7KidFq-IbmwL6fugF43qfZxpgZAP2moQ4IxQR27GXLmg0wLqK9SkAuFmAT_k21hftaQXEKvRqaxdk5uiQCyoyGQmjtnmmt_A1i0HqXAfb3Ynm74zsd-6QaKM3Z/s1600/P1030358.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674673280677815714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFQaKBWwQGgG6TSUT3P7KidFq-IbmwL6fugF43qfZxpgZAP2moQ4IxQR27GXLmg0wLqK9SkAuFmAT_k21hftaQXEKvRqaxdk5uiQCyoyGQmjtnmmt_A1i0HqXAfb3Ynm74zsd-6QaKM3Z/s400/P1030358.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>In October 2010 Rusty and I headed back the Region of the Nez Perce. Travel was tough this year with cancelled flight and unplanned detours, but we made it to the Salmon only a half day later than expected.</div>
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Our first evening was great despite the water being a bit warmer than desirable. the weather was <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s1600/P1030292.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674672766316990178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s320/P1030292.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a>mild and we got one of our favorite runs, a nice long easy wade with a rip that sits about 80' from knee deep the whole way. I wore a T-shirt since the weather so fine, feeling good to be done traveling and finally fishing. The run we were on produced Rusty's first fish last year... and mine this year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s1600/P1030292.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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I fished a Thompson River Caddis down the lower half of the run and, just as day tipped to twilight, the fish took. It was on the strip, but it still took. </div>
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I had gotten a 15' TnT from poppy the previous fall and this was my first fish with the rod. I was worried that a 9wt would be too much rod for smaller fish, but this fish I caught our first night was 5-6 lbs and it was a great fight and I, don't think a smaller rod would have made the experience any more fun.</div>
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We camped around a bunch of other fly fishers, but apparently what we fish and what they fish is different, as we almost never seemed to see these guys on the water<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ5jY-BA0MlSWDRSgqk1l9yA5iEo_CPEgwniOrCGeJ4oOK21HxDPzuQ5_whs7eFTgZlEDVZVxBoeWdHnoK9ddXA5yvWTh99VzIG-4t0dCUIREROLXsgrzYh5QSG3-YreYKQQLDt7AIKx9/s1600/P1030302.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674673471179843858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ5jY-BA0MlSWDRSgqk1l9yA5iEo_CPEgwniOrCGeJ4oOK21HxDPzuQ5_whs7eFTgZlEDVZVxBoeWdHnoK9ddXA5yvWTh99VzIG-4t0dCUIREROLXsgrzYh5QSG3-YreYKQQLDt7AIKx9/s200/P1030302.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> we fished. Although there is more pressure this year than last. The guys at camp were having a tough time with the warm water. Over the next few days we fished some very good water and struggled to find fish. we ran up to the Clearwater a few times but it had alot of people on it.</div>
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We did connect with two more fish. Both under pretty bright conditions. Both also came off what was our most productive run last year. I caught a small fish under a bright/partly cloudy midday sky. It ate a yellow/Orange/ Natural Married wing spey, my first married wing fish, and some how that matters.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZDns5o8-jbMzmVhjbzguZbodDXjPQJ69ttU_YxHBtJI-P5ladXu-fbuTzSwvTiBjDip7_WG-gCYiABKK2m2j_oFzr2qMyxDM1mZQfwxm0FOQAqWfuBbnWR6Ts5wHC7dHiCgPxNhqrK2d/s1600/P1030307.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674672993982482834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZDns5o8-jbMzmVhjbzguZbodDXjPQJ69ttU_YxHBtJI-P5ladXu-fbuTzSwvTiBjDip7_WG-gCYiABKK2m2j_oFzr2qMyxDM1mZQfwxm0FOQAqWfuBbnWR6Ts5wHC7dHiCgPxNhqrK2d/s320/P1030307.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>A day later on the same run, Rusty hooked our best fish of the trip. It was late morning. I am not sure what fly rusty was fishing but I would wager it was 3 or 5 Yellow Jacket (last years magic fly).</div>
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Though the conditions were not as perfect as the year before. we found fish when fishing was tough and the Snake continued her kind and generous tradition.</div>
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We fished our 2010 trip fishing the Salmon River in Idaho, which is a tributary of the Snake. We had a great time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmMRRoxzG1NEDMjYtUWiFiLtpTRKcV-8RGMu9fs3n1UEjoeumq0Xnq_4PeGIm9Rd2Ui6UOEV5-ggAlcZ_1NQI-GpsEDSvl9tzMRclQc3no3JNd1z6ydkmRfede2sYbo0pFT6K426hKpNr/s1600/P1040761.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><strong> </strong></div>
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<strong>2011: When Things get rough, We head for the Snake</strong></div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674695069130930914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkg1wYdfftcwCJFYqc-E1miesiWFMQPKBJu8TEF_3X0eiBa_k2fCf0k6q-lrqNNBgyyjNkNXIPhBePveV1pB_noR3i9jspOysD_e9E2hYl-gd8NQT9kZL8QSg38uC2M2lvklamZoL1bV1/s400/P12-Snake-History.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 145px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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In 2011 Rusty and I both drove out and met on the Salmon River in Idaho. We had done well there in 2010 and the condition on the river seemed great. there was a little rain but the river looked and fished great. The wildlife was superb, lots of deer came down to the river to drink while we fished runs. I saw a breeding pair of Golden Eagles, but we caught nothing in two-and-a-half days of fishing. </div>
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We did not have as much time to fish as we have the last two years, so we decided to go see what the Snake looked like. I was worried because when I drove over the Snake near Boise, Idaho, it look big and dirty, but when we arrived to Asotin, Washington and the stretch of river upstream of there, I learned that you can't judge the Snake by what you see in Boise. It looked great and the water was cool.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoMOdaIAfSOjHxbuZQFJCD0609DxmMJBKR9oxkXtXgi4pzW_n7Xa2bqQ_Y5TIgxTVsxL51NEmRWG_5hZ11n9Ys6G58PU9AsZglGv2v1tboC5cZShgMkRsQVJ0rXYE9q2k1oAgFiN2Fiw6/s1600/P1040735.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688680945673970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoMOdaIAfSOjHxbuZQFJCD0609DxmMJBKR9oxkXtXgi4pzW_n7Xa2bqQ_Y5TIgxTVsxL51NEmRWG_5hZ11n9Ys6G58PU9AsZglGv2v1tboC5cZShgMkRsQVJ0rXYE9q2k1oAgFiN2Fiw6/s200/P1040735.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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It was 2pm when we arrived. Cloudy with a light to medium rain. We drove up-river to our favorite run. It didn't take long for things to start. On this run, we know the fish usually grab right at the end, just as the body dumps into the tail; and we were suprised by fish sitting up at the top of the run. </div>
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I fished through first, the water felt good and cool, a little on the high side of perfect but close. I could see a seem that was out a ways, though I thought I could reach it if I pushed. I was fishing a 13'3" 7wt and a Scandi head, so casting big distances took alot more work than when I was using a 15' and long belly on the same run the year before. I was able to reach-out and fish the seem though, and within 20' of the top of the run I hooked a fish on a #3 Yellow Jacket.</div>
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It was a hard fighting fish and a wild one to boot. You can't beat that. I got out of the run and Rusty <br />
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fished through. When he was about half way down, I jumped in at the head of the run again to follow him down. I hooked another fish in the same spot. It was another hard fight and I got the leader into the guides, but the fished threw the hook mid-river after a final run, and an epic jump (that I swear was 5'-6' out of the water vertically). It ate a size 6-8 Purple Green-Butt Skunk</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s1600/P1040747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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That evening Rusty and I fished another of our favorite runs on the Snake. Rusty landed his first Snake river fish on this run and I had gotten our first fish there last year. I followed Rusty down the run. I started at the top of the run. There is an eddy up at the top but the water just out-side of it looks good. So even though we had never even had a grab at the head, I fished it. you never know. And guess what... I got a grab. It came just as my line could swing below the current of the back eddy.</div>
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This was another hard fighting fish. Just take a look at it, a good sized fish. I think this is the biggest Steelhead that I have caught on the Snake. It went for the same little Skunk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s1600/P1040747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688480967201458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s320/P1040747.JPG" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
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We fished the run until dark. Shortly after landing my fish, a family of otters came floating down river and the male chased me out of the river after I teased him by returning his hisses with my own hiss like sound. <br />
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Before the day was over, However, Rusty hooked into a good sized fish at the lower end of the run. It was dark and try as we might we could not see the fish even when it was right in front of us. It stayed down as deep as it could.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s1600/P1040754.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s1600/P1040754.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688872281569522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s320/P1040754.JPG" style="float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>Finally, we got the fish landed. It was a nice sized wild King Salmon, mean and healthy, and along ways from the ocean.</div>
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The next morning was bright and sunny and windy. We didn't touch a fish on our first two runs, so we decided to try a run that had been in the running for being the best two years earlier, but had produced nothing in several try's last year. Its fast waters flow across a wide rocky flat and the heaviest currents in a narrow channel on the far side of the river, this brought fish into a small, bouldery area on the rock bar where the current is bearable to rest in and close enough to cast too. Though depending on the rivers flow rate this spot can be too far out to reach. And I suspect that the fish only sit in this area at certain water levels. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmMRRoxzG1NEDMjYtUWiFiLtpTRKcV-8RGMu9fs3n1UEjoeumq0Xnq_4PeGIm9Rd2Ui6UOEV5-ggAlcZ_1NQI-GpsEDSvl9tzMRclQc3no3JNd1z6ydkmRfede2sYbo0pFT6K426hKpNr/s1600/P1040761.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; height: 101px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 227px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="150" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674695325276764034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmMRRoxzG1NEDMjYtUWiFiLtpTRKcV-8RGMu9fs3n1UEjoeumq0Xnq_4PeGIm9Rd2Ui6UOEV5-ggAlcZ_1NQI-GpsEDSvl9tzMRclQc3no3JNd1z6ydkmRfede2sYbo0pFT6K426hKpNr/s200/P1040761.JPG" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" width="200" /></a>It was bright and sunny. with the sun at my back, and to me that means in the fishes eyes. I was not thinking there was much of a shot. and I wasn't even sure if the run was even fishing that well. Then my line came tight and my tiny little size 8 skunk was sucked up by a ripping fast hatchery hen. Fish can really burn you up on some of the Snakes faster runs and this run is a fast one.<br />
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<strong>2012: On My Own</strong><br />
My trip to the Snake in 2012 was a solo one and after a couple days I was convinced that the fishing was not what I had been hoping for. I headed for Western Washington and ended up having some fun days on the Cowlitz.<br />
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<strong>2014: Rusty and I get blanked by the Snake</strong><br />
Rusty and I headed back to the Snake for a few days in 2014. We came up empty, picking one fish up on the Grande Ronde.<br />
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<strong>2015: Dropping water and a new face</strong><br />
This last season I had my c<br />
ousin James join me to fish the Snake. this was he first introduction to steelhead and spey. I was hoping to show him the magic, but came up short. He did however show a high degree of fortitude, fishing day-in and day-out, never wavering and accepting the beat down. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KTKBIQa-zxXv3e5lD0za38BF0Zl2bztzGBW_BPLR6kRWDLXvQ2AaoLTXBCL3hlmfpBPokTMeNg-ypMuvCGqx0GGs_vdS22zWxrLSx3V6GQ7rjdUTWvqzlZHQYehIfSpa1e2IY8iO6OO1/s1600/IMG_3608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KTKBIQa-zxXv3e5lD0za38BF0Zl2bztzGBW_BPLR6kRWDLXvQ2AaoLTXBCL3hlmfpBPokTMeNg-ypMuvCGqx0GGs_vdS22zWxrLSx3V6GQ7rjdUTWvqzlZHQYehIfSpa1e2IY8iO6OO1/s200/IMG_3608.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiyrM-2mhEudZ1RmkNNXrgSIThJJrQ25e-dJDqWtqS_Nt5o-7CfVSeqR3ugbnNSMlAKlE3AIvZDg-O3FhrnOciRoXWP7M5YXeeu2oZgMaNeSr1zXDM4mOvmjR0pHnzwgxdI1UPxHwFA6u/s1600/IMG_3607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiyrM-2mhEudZ1RmkNNXrgSIThJJrQ25e-dJDqWtqS_Nt5o-7CfVSeqR3ugbnNSMlAKlE3AIvZDg-O3FhrnOciRoXWP7M5YXeeu2oZgMaNeSr1zXDM4mOvmjR0pHnzwgxdI1UPxHwFA6u/s200/IMG_3607.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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The river was slowly dropping the whole time we fished. I was able to pick-up a fish, right off the bat on the first run. this fish ate a #5 Yellow Jacket (that old reliable pattern). From that point on, however, fishing got tough. Soon the fish would except nothing over a size 8, I had two #8 Purple green-butts stolen off the line in spectacular fashion on a single run. I rolled soul to see if I could improve fishing mojo, and while I got grabbed on the below married wing, fishing remained tough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKhwZV_Kfq58MtC3kbtAALPhuR_S9E3KhCQVrH29XeGjO1txqTHHReu3lN-Qd4x6FQgTaGFf0LY2nLEyG_QAesujbYJVH89SEw6y2Z5TS2BxTU_68FiuPWWbpXm1n7caOzOtKCaF9s4km/s1600/IMG_3606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGKhwZV_Kfq58MtC3kbtAALPhuR_S9E3KhCQVrH29XeGjO1txqTHHReu3lN-Qd4x6FQgTaGFf0LY2nLEyG_QAesujbYJVH89SEw6y2Z5TS2BxTU_68FiuPWWbpXm1n7caOzOtKCaF9s4km/s400/IMG_3606.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-75376733572598790432013-08-28T13:22:00.001-05:002013-08-28T13:22:42.942-05:00Matane River - Quebec<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigynDphoMNPglNBzknUIo3NRF_T31t1u54FNA7DN5jZswF0I2l_IUfwgAD761_Wq1uZKg3FVNC9pDxM8Dcf0vNT4ca17lRe6LrIUoeJZfNGEQ_YZ-eoDOe_hP30WC9ZqTd7kzZ7NuSnaoX/s1600/Photo+Aug+02,+4+02+06+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigynDphoMNPglNBzknUIo3NRF_T31t1u54FNA7DN5jZswF0I2l_IUfwgAD761_Wq1uZKg3FVNC9pDxM8Dcf0vNT4ca17lRe6LrIUoeJZfNGEQ_YZ-eoDOe_hP30WC9ZqTd7kzZ7NuSnaoX/s400/Photo+Aug+02,+4+02+06+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In early August I made a trip out to eastern Quebec to fish the Matane River at the base of the Gaspe Peninsula. I arrived after a long, hot, and dry spell in the area. Luckily there was a cool, rainy day and the fish turned on for a while and finally one came my way.<br />
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I fished with a guide, Louis Bazine, and he was instrumental in finding and hooking the salmon I caught. He found good water to fish that was not getting pounded all day by anglers. This meant that we went out looking for travelling fish in resting spots, rather than looking for holding fish in holding spots. This was a big difference. Most anglers on the river stayed on water where the could see multiple salmon in the water, the salmon always stay at these runs, day after day, they become dour, this is a holding run. We found spots where fish that were making their way up river would stop for an hour, or two or tuck in stay the night, and then move on. these fish would be more eager for a fly and less harassed. <br />
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This came to pass, as we fished a slim tail-out in a very out-of-the-way pool. The water looked too shallow to hold much of anything, but a fish rolled to show that he was there. I fished through with a #8 Blue Charm. I started high on the tail-out, in water so slow had to strip in line to keep the fly moving. As I worked down, the water sped up, bit by bit. Soon the fly was plain atop the waters glass like but speedy surface. to fix the plaining we adjusted the know and kept working down the tailout.<br />
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There were several salmon at the end of the run, despite the shallow look to the water. The first fish, which had originally rolled, rolled a few more times, and once just behind the fly. Another fish lower in the run left a wake charging the fly across the run, but never a pull, or a pluck on the Blue Charm, so Louis suggested I put my switch rod to the test and fish a bomber up stream over the groups of fish in the tailout.<br />
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I switched to the Bomber and Louis pointed out where he could see fish, soon I could see them too. After a while of working over the 4-5 salmon lowest in the run, a grilse took a look and rolled just beneath the fly with out the slightest surface disturbance. He did not look again. I worked up to the location of the first fish that we had seen roll. I could see the fishes form and made the casts as Louis had recommended: Behind left, behind center (over the fish), Behind Right, On top of left, center, right, in front of left, center, right; only leave the fly on the surface for 3 seconds and cast again. force the fish into a quick decision.<br />
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The fish didn't move for the fly, but another fish did. The fish boiled near the fly about 6 feet down of the targeted fish, in water so clear that I was sure I could see everything, but saw no fish. Then as the fly dragged the surface as I picked it up to cast again another splash and boil happened. and finally about 6-10 cast later the fish brought its (her) head out of the water and ate the Bomber.<br />
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The fish fought hard jumping and running, nothing crazy but a lot of fun.<br />
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The Matane flows North into the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the Chic Choc/Appalachian Mountains.<br />
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-27588349470156392592013-06-16T09:00:00.000-05:002016-06-13T08:09:47.294-05:00The Deschutes River - updated<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDxK44RM0u0lexD15nbaRKzEvPMoadALmLKdfLELSx9jx_vrb5y-loCp4ib6msoRDGC0VO1a7-lR30EgXYdD8jnTFM8Pa5AJj0df_Nj_IKJjSoHf1xkW3_yLfdZGoqHthvLdys1_gun5g/s1600/DSC_0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDxK44RM0u0lexD15nbaRKzEvPMoadALmLKdfLELSx9jx_vrb5y-loCp4ib6msoRDGC0VO1a7-lR30EgXYdD8jnTFM8Pa5AJj0df_Nj_IKJjSoHf1xkW3_yLfdZGoqHthvLdys1_gun5g/s400/DSC_0123.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
The Deschutes is a truly unique Steelhead river, it can be the sweetest most friendly river you've ever known on one trip and then leave you beat-down and fried the next. The fish can be aggressive and trouty or they can be virtually non-existent. Some times it seems you can make the best casts of you life into a full on gale, other time a slight tease of wind knock down every cast. The river will love you and then toy with you.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDEAAwG84M3tFZm_tI4t2h9ocBPHQA40G8FjSyMJ02taNhvP0mqGGvTszG8DO5vLZx5dWOg7IR6RWT8Bb5dQTgQOQCvWVp9YGUWmD8aCGSgsXmZGI051kPkpP2QHsziv4sNJ0KaTp9M_E/s1600/deschutes+(121).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDEAAwG84M3tFZm_tI4t2h9ocBPHQA40G8FjSyMJ02taNhvP0mqGGvTszG8DO5vLZx5dWOg7IR6RWT8Bb5dQTgQOQCvWVp9YGUWmD8aCGSgsXmZGI051kPkpP2QHsziv4sNJ0KaTp9M_E/s200/deschutes+(121).JPG" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfqfVbNgm7q-zjUqU9qtFSgYu10jk8nr4CXLCQ1QVvsnUG1UfZam4zcTnhxcl6ZTQtSzMVL6Ssb7BK1LErpe-Vip3i5cJxA0syYBbzGeqjK3rOKfR-OVErt7gIyF7ddSpVBSarry1AWdz/s1600-h/Deschutes+07+010.jpg"></a><br />
The Deschutes River in Oregon is like a steelheading mecca in so many<br />
ways, not the least of which is that everyone goes there. Yeah it gets a little crowded there sometimes, at least the road access does, but the River and the Steelhead that run it do really deserve this fond attention of Steelheaders when it's on, and it is on a lot in the past few years. Sometimes it is not on, however. <br />
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I landed my first dry fly steelhead on the Deschutes. It was very close to the mouth of the river. I had hiked up from the boat launch with a couple friends. It was a Saturday morning and the river had a good number of people on it. At first it seemed like there would be no where to fish, but after not too much hiking. my friend who knew the lower river well said "Steve why don't you stop and fish here. We'll hike up further" <br />
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At first I was not pumped by the water he pointed out. the flow looked a little slow and laminar, but there were boils out to about 50-60 feet from the bank. This reminded me of just a few days earlier when I was fishing the Klickitat and I met a local who had explained to me that submerged boarders were key for fishing skaters over. He said that the fish would sit relatively close to the surface, because of the neutralizing turbulence created by the boulder. This made be reconsider my opinion of the water I was about to fish. I tied on a skater and headed up the run to a likely starting spot, tough it really was pretty uniform for several hundred yard up and down the bank.<br />
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I tossed the fly on to the water before I ever set foot in the run and immediately the water boiled, but that was it. the fly did not go down, the fish never came back. About 15 minutes later however, as I worked done the run, I got another boil. this boil came just as I was mending my line out from the curly water behind a boulder. My fly jump right out of the fishes boil. I think I cursed pretty loud.<br />
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I cast out with the same amount of line, but a good 20-30 feet up from where the boil came, as that was well into the swing. as soon as the line tightened, a red cheeked steelhead came up out of the water and took the fly on it's way back into. That image is burned in my mind to this day.<br />
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The fish fought better than any other steelhead I have ever hooked, incredible speed during his big run. My hardy was going so fast, I thought it was at the highest pitch possible, then it went up noticeably. The fish jumped so far away I wondered if it was the fish I had hooked or just a fish jumping way down river. really incredible.<br />
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I fell in while landing the fish, which ended up killing my camera, but not before I got a few shots of the wild fish. it was nearly 30". See pic below.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPklz0jM1gvFPvyOnqfJD6uwSL2LvBG7vnJvjLAI8CFItp1aeKi94WtJT8OfqjmD3pDiVUDOrOiP4uugmWRWWpOW958_F4El_GSWAHRKjwDpG-PllHodu2ZQv1Ed1FRWtvjMg2fulBhjZA/s1600/deschutes+(136).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPklz0jM1gvFPvyOnqfJD6uwSL2LvBG7vnJvjLAI8CFItp1aeKi94WtJT8OfqjmD3pDiVUDOrOiP4uugmWRWWpOW958_F4El_GSWAHRKjwDpG-PllHodu2ZQv1Ed1FRWtvjMg2fulBhjZA/s400/deschutes+(136).JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
I headed up river to the area around Mack's Canyon that afternoon when my friends headed back to Portland. I fished a shadow cast by a cliff near Ferry Canyon and got a late afternoon fish too. That was a really great day on the Deschutes.<br />
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I have fished on it for both kinds of days, hot and cold, on and off. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubIZDyEdDWtwFL-fMtYUjQSgLUcielgnnNf-VktwhqfM2pBW6gBOQI3hJ3HZYPsg2qtq6JevxB-cF_jNkJS54jamV8zXa6XEcmst06ZMHRy8i5wldX2FFKkd7ZVpkhRjkT86qPYTgvZll/s1600-h/DSC_0077.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268867419391376386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubIZDyEdDWtwFL-fMtYUjQSgLUcielgnnNf-VktwhqfM2pBW6gBOQI3hJ3HZYPsg2qtq6JevxB-cF_jNkJS54jamV8zXa6XEcmst06ZMHRy8i5wldX2FFKkd7ZVpkhRjkT86qPYTgvZll/s200/DSC_0077.JPG" style="float: left; height: 139px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 160px;" /></a>Unfortunately last time I was on it was off. It was so off, that when My friend Charlie and I headed up to fish the water between Shear's Falls and Mack's Canyon there was no body there. This section of river usually houses hundreds of anglers at this time of years (Sept.), but it was empty. We were thrilled, all the runs were ours; Windknot was ours, Hole in the Wall all ours, we even had the pipeline(and I mean the whole thing) to our selves. The problem was there were no fish grabbing the flies. we talked to guides across the river, they hadn't been hooking fish for several days. this was this year 2008, Dam counts were huge, but the fish just weren't there the days we were.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI2TOZngMEZFdowlVQ7HN2eWQh2V6apjhkGeiraZAob8v8bSkBrTK5fDHOh6O11x-GzDIXIQTJdEANzM5s3dhcKhcN2FaI7bAFd9jXK5iwCUhzPnCJkSx4qX5HT0nF5mMNIuiMQ4E72cK/s1600-h/DSC_0034.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="128" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153124924096967618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOI2TOZngMEZFdowlVQ7HN2eWQh2V6apjhkGeiraZAob8v8bSkBrTK5fDHOh6O11x-GzDIXIQTJdEANzM5s3dhcKhcN2FaI7bAFd9jXK5iwCUhzPnCJkSx4qX5HT0nF5mMNIuiMQ4E72cK/s200/DSC_0034.JPG" style="height: 128px; width: 115px;" width="179" /></a><br />
Charlie and I fished the Deschutes for a few days in 2007, and we (mostly Charlie) did great we caught 4 fish in just a few days of fishing and lost others. The dam counts weren't nearly as good as in 2008, but we were finding fish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxNRCx-4l_mBxf1kwxPkY8-Br5UrIG4IB9qhUaua2INhyQFwXVANlziecmw2Cphno4z-5QL6qdJxbEQenll-nETRhz_4UopiwDAfzQshcWptb9GwqmwpMbd8x2-KZqGFMo0gEmdFosdV_/s1600/a+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxNRCx-4l_mBxf1kwxPkY8-Br5UrIG4IB9qhUaua2INhyQFwXVANlziecmw2Cphno4z-5QL6qdJxbEQenll-nETRhz_4UopiwDAfzQshcWptb9GwqmwpMbd8x2-KZqGFMo0gEmdFosdV_/s200/a+030.jpg" width="200" /></a>The good times are possible on the Deschutes, maybe more than anywhere else. In 2001, on my first trip to the Deschutes it felt like the fish were every where and I know from BR who hit it again in 2002 it was epic again. Even this year I heard stories of guys hooking 10 fish out of a run in a single morning or evening.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8tKZdbkKGXwE7rA0HjZZByBlCy0Gxg1Bin78REwkdKUivxdEygBFeIqn17QLP3w2tXwXilUUZFztz-GsAWCy5RcF7ggwk9xfPJwNUcho9lKOx5v5neD6z0CaD-nqfQopIfrE_1h1fU9u/s1600/deschutes+(65).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8tKZdbkKGXwE7rA0HjZZByBlCy0Gxg1Bin78REwkdKUivxdEygBFeIqn17QLP3w2tXwXilUUZFztz-GsAWCy5RcF7ggwk9xfPJwNUcho9lKOx5v5neD6z0CaD-nqfQopIfrE_1h1fU9u/s200/deschutes+(65).JPG" width="132" /></a><br />
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I think that it is because the Deschutes can be so giving, that getting skunked on this river can hurt so much. When you are catching fish, the sun is friendly, Camp is perfect, the wind is a fun challenge, and wildlife is abundant, the Busch lights even taste better if that is even possible. Things just go your way, or maybe you just going there way, but you're happy. When the skunk is on, this Oregon blast oven has no soul, the barren landscape is devoid of life. The sun burns down on camps that have no shade and the ones that do are taken. The Busch light, gone already. The wind, in your face.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR08eGKDYSu9-9jHngpQZjNm1T0ivpEWoIhgoSDXNnpusF1Vo8siV52-P5Do0fhENxGBJdgy6NFBWZyWJNejEHbmfncwAWhz43HbWxhrfuNMR_EGjHw1GvALufJjpQXzBB5mc-sboF_1R4/s1600/deschutes+(13).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR08eGKDYSu9-9jHngpQZjNm1T0ivpEWoIhgoSDXNnpusF1Vo8siV52-P5Do0fhENxGBJdgy6NFBWZyWJNejEHbmfncwAWhz43HbWxhrfuNMR_EGjHw1GvALufJjpQXzBB5mc-sboF_1R4/s200/deschutes+(13).jpg" width="200" /></a>I have caught fish on the Deschutes on both big and small flies. Fishing smaller flies (3-8) flies on a Scandinavian head is my favorite way to fish the rivers, but I have had success and been able to take fish in broad day light using Skagit heads and big flies (3"-5" long). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-dUSu9QaNQdadVqNnx2HxK4eD4inUea2UVBr6clmwa7NMCxt0AtA43IED5s3V61c0dPFSeu6iAfl3Ld36_Wk1pyv9uFEWV0lJiRdk45WFI_Rnn9ZoIewCZZ9x7dfat2Xo62u95jsCXdf/s1600/deschutes+(20).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-dUSu9QaNQdadVqNnx2HxK4eD4inUea2UVBr6clmwa7NMCxt0AtA43IED5s3V61c0dPFSeu6iAfl3Ld36_Wk1pyv9uFEWV0lJiRdk45WFI_Rnn9ZoIewCZZ9x7dfat2Xo62u95jsCXdf/s200/deschutes+(20).JPG" width="200" /></a>I have usually used either my 7133-3 Burkheimer or my 6126 Sage both are great for smaller flies and the smaller fish that are common on the Deschutes, but the 7133-3 the more versatile of the two. I will however try an additional rod next time, my 7141-4 Sage while it may be stouter than the smaller fish warrant, it casts a great long line such as a Hardy 65' Mach II 570grn or a Rio Power Spey 7/8 and these long lines and way fun to fish, the Loomis 15' 7/8 grease line would also be fun. One down side to these longer rods and longer lines is that they run into trouble when conditions get tough, like a rough wind or a tight bank, but I have found that while they are limited it is not nearly a limited as most people believe now days.<br />
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The flies I like for the Deschutes are the Green Butt Purple Skunk,<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DryhLk2hOpA8RugnarlGRG-zOJOpdSCx11BcLcUQnGbvTkXU4CJeoyzekGDtxq8obr7XgfR7QUsW9hndBmmKCp4-wPM7jOrmKMxI-1kjEWQQOZJ9fxIPpiZkdHGca4bw-p7NGNU-bK3a/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DryhLk2hOpA8RugnarlGRG-zOJOpdSCx11BcLcUQnGbvTkXU4CJeoyzekGDtxq8obr7XgfR7QUsW9hndBmmKCp4-wPM7jOrmKMxI-1kjEWQQOZJ9fxIPpiZkdHGca4bw-p7NGNU-bK3a/s200/3.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVmzXLEdd1b4Eql6eaKN1G9EQkh9j4GI35t3No9okIVrj15Q6LC-nJQDtTvs6Br0Ohg6Q_q50G2UvGfzWz9cP-6BIEz0Wumx0WYu4fFkwdEGq8KbCXcGxKxNxbW_Zj8em_lwbyvO7D79m/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVmzXLEdd1b4Eql6eaKN1G9EQkh9j4GI35t3No9okIVrj15Q6LC-nJQDtTvs6Br0Ohg6Q_q50G2UvGfzWz9cP-6BIEz0Wumx0WYu4fFkwdEGq8KbCXcGxKxNxbW_Zj8em_lwbyvO7D79m/s200/4.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKSbtzo01abw5jcphyphenhyphenvbYveGyDt5Jj37HVV3XpQ9Nbpaf3pb1HLqywte4eaWQ0jfKS5rXzYRJ18GmT7l6WMTe3K2axaPj5uA8fkxyZRwunnqClsxL8BACwpO0Gp_bHlZ_PEBmKs2yporp/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdKSbtzo01abw5jcphyphenhyphenvbYveGyDt5Jj37HVV3XpQ9Nbpaf3pb1HLqywte4eaWQ0jfKS5rXzYRJ18GmT7l6WMTe3K2axaPj5uA8fkxyZRwunnqClsxL8BACwpO0Gp_bHlZ_PEBmKs2yporp/s200/2.JPG" width="200" /></a> and variations on standards the Max Canyon, the skunk, etc., and Muddlers in purple and brown, after that it is all about finding or making up stuff you like. Check out the Deschutes Angler and Flyfishusa.com web sites for great Deschutes patterns. Also check out Kent Helvie's book on steelhead flies, there are some great Dec Hogan patterns for the Deschutes in it. <br />
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In the Summer of 2016, I will be floating the lower canyon water with guide Travis Johnson. He is renowned for his casting ability, and has a good reputation among people whose opinions I trust. this will be a three day, two night float. I will write a separate entry to tell of this trip.Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-44615665556224240462013-06-11T12:48:00.000-05:002013-06-20T10:30:58.437-05:00Wet-Fly Selection for Summer Steelhead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other day I was at a friend's bass pond, which is a very
clear pond. The pond is loaded with big bass, some are really big, like over
ten pound. Some of these fish are so big in fact, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that one of the really big fish tried to eat a
15” bass as I was trying to land the smaller fish.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTQw8zsZjg84B5u4IbklkHJ9VDHxnYwnth45-Pt-qatVOrxaPgb65XmJPAylfQ58PY1cIpHOh_1xyXksfm3xDX5sK6ZHMAzJQTHTyjURoa1VPtgUcYRXn2aoANyjsVhtPlwgRkG8PirRn/s1600/428859_3363647261238_1200754409_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTQw8zsZjg84B5u4IbklkHJ9VDHxnYwnth45-Pt-qatVOrxaPgb65XmJPAylfQ58PY1cIpHOh_1xyXksfm3xDX5sK6ZHMAzJQTHTyjURoa1VPtgUcYRXn2aoANyjsVhtPlwgRkG8PirRn/s200/428859_3363647261238_1200754409_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, as I was fishing this pond trying to get one of
these giant bass to eat my fly, I noticed how they would charge the fly from a
distance but then hesitate before taking to investigate the fly. The fish would
some time hit right away, but more often it would sit just below the fly and
either eventually take the fly or reject it. With the water being so clear, it
took a very realistic looking fly to fool the bigger fish. A frog painted
popper worked, while a yellow, green, and even minnow painted popper did not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think that this often happens while steelhead fishing as
well, though I don’t think it happens to the same degree as the current is
moving the fly through the water, and that means a steelhead is looking a <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>moving fly and has to make a more momentary decision
on whether or not to take the fly. I believe that steelhead often see the fly
at a distance. They move into position to intercept the fly. Then they often investigate
the fly before taking or rejecting it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVhuHtmprSgMKWXTewuIWBXbTRqpwCsHy-tUsAjAIdZ3qYJgAANWPyP3LR1vFbqj3EN1YQM5y7EASXzGHnmNutFxlLih5UUxF-hPcoABZWNlb2Gy8GV9SY5MJHt1LCZbhCCNe1ZRToF6T/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVhuHtmprSgMKWXTewuIWBXbTRqpwCsHy-tUsAjAIdZ3qYJgAANWPyP3LR1vFbqj3EN1YQM5y7EASXzGHnmNutFxlLih5UUxF-hPcoABZWNlb2Gy8GV9SY5MJHt1LCZbhCCNe1ZRToF6T/s200/4.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cummin's Special #5</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have seen this happen a few times, by watching from above
as another angler has a fish visibly following a fly. I have also often had
fish grab the fly as it changes its course in the swing (going from dropping
with the current to swing in toward shore), which leads me to believe that the
fish is often hovering near the fly and it reacts when the fly’s course
changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So how do we choose a fly that will attract a fish from a
distance and yet still be attractive enough to eat upon close inspection?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAVXgxDH8sWZdAQd-tEGgGCG159upZxm2PPhDAMIyUhfrdJvSrfJlaMshzPcAxbrDfH-MN_RT6bSEBD0cpaEQaVN1rPoar-8pVfU2NE6CDV-dLWTV77w8BBgkSncQqz7GDJ61SmsuKjhP/s1600/DSC_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAVXgxDH8sWZdAQd-tEGgGCG159upZxm2PPhDAMIyUhfrdJvSrfJlaMshzPcAxbrDfH-MN_RT6bSEBD0cpaEQaVN1rPoar-8pVfU2NE6CDV-dLWTV77w8BBgkSncQqz7GDJ61SmsuKjhP/s400/DSC_0172.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the last 15 years I have been trying to figure out the
answer to this equation. Of course every day of fishing can be different, fore
as a fishes environment changes so may its preferences in fly color, size, presentation,
etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For most of my time fishing steelhead I have had an approach
that assumed bigger was better. Figuring that because steelhead are eating
large food in the Ocean (or great lake) that they will prefer something large
to eat; Such as a 4” string leach, an intruder, or a spey fly tied on a 1.5-3/0
hook.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_YnDhB0SbvIr2MD4096Q27-W_cP_4b-zbn1uk6FylZS50O49Xt69BPsRZWw5H7Klp-sfhK-5r_mzKTASBZnT8zTWrXYVcxnaCEkYcka1gDIGUUtLpMg83hXGPum0FgjAeN7ngAVOZpPT/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_YnDhB0SbvIr2MD4096Q27-W_cP_4b-zbn1uk6FylZS50O49Xt69BPsRZWw5H7Klp-sfhK-5r_mzKTASBZnT8zTWrXYVcxnaCEkYcka1gDIGUUtLpMg83hXGPum0FgjAeN7ngAVOZpPT/s200/6.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Jacket #5</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, over the last few years I have been catching more
and more summer steelhead on smaller flies. And often hooking fish with small
flies in bright sunlight, which I thought would be very unlikely, but has now
happen several times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last year on my annuall trip out to fish the rivers of the Nez Perce, I had a day where i got a fish early on a #3 Yellow Jacket (a Dec Hogan pattern), a consisant fly with alot of black in it. once I got this fish I met up with my fishing partner and he was fishing the same fly, this makes sense as we have both caught a number of fish on this pattern in sizes #3 and #5. Well, since I had already landed a fish and would be following my friend down the run, I switched flies and decided to put on a #6-8 Purple Green Butt Skunk. Within a few casts I hooked into a large Steelhead. This really increased my confidence with this fly, so I kept it on for the rest of our time on the river. and it paid off with more hook ups over the next day and a half, even under bright mid-day sun.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Q4mKWI6w3W9AExjZ4fJYJ9WQ6EuxIiUmeuhBfEkYyjVmPIkY1d9pEJbNvXMC8iqAGdA0GOerG4NzVNHVXY99b2RxAfGwbZGPecsA0v85TLfENtCdQn5fDudColN-CeD3KprB2Dw7jSW-/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Q4mKWI6w3W9AExjZ4fJYJ9WQ6EuxIiUmeuhBfEkYyjVmPIkY1d9pEJbNvXMC8iqAGdA0GOerG4NzVNHVXY99b2RxAfGwbZGPecsA0v85TLfENtCdQn5fDudColN-CeD3KprB2Dw7jSW-/s200/3.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Green Butt Skunk #6</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Based on that success and similiar experiences on other rivers and other trips. I am beginning to rethink my preference for large flies. I think that most productive steelhead rivers, not all, are clear enough for a Steelhead to see a #5 fly at a distance of at least ten feet, often I believe the fish can see much further. Indeed, I have seen rainbow rush significant distances to inhale a small nymph or egg pattern.<br />
So using a big fly to get a fishes attention, may be effective for getting a fish to see the fly from a greater distance. But if you are fishing clear water the distance may be more than is needed and the fly may be intimidating to the fish once they are in close proximity. I think that if a fish can see the fly from a reasonable distance based on water and light conditions it is a good bet to use a small (#5-8) fly as the fish will have a smller object to interperate and a less intimidating object.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjZAOlmqMq5o-7xuCRl_cjThPSmHewFUWSHnVCksc5vEDiNSpzjGoiLrSJ3l-BTgP_mI6_lazcCXQ9vs1RPhafsxLAqxt2qtmISmWU-MBDCmdYzop6OknR7BrYTLoDLGQGNAQ6-3dyC21/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjZAOlmqMq5o-7xuCRl_cjThPSmHewFUWSHnVCksc5vEDiNSpzjGoiLrSJ3l-BTgP_mI6_lazcCXQ9vs1RPhafsxLAqxt2qtmISmWU-MBDCmdYzop6OknR7BrYTLoDLGQGNAQ6-3dyC21/s200/1.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Name #3</td></tr>
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There are times when I think fish will respond better to bigger and/or brighter flies. so it is good to keep your box stock with a variety of patterns that cover the gammit. Have a few larger flies tied in muted colors, some big bright flies, and some small bright flies, to go along with your small subtle patterns.<br />
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I also think that adding detail to flies, that give them a more life like appearence up close helps in getting a fish to take. I add jungle cock as I think it looks like an eye. I also will use sparse grey spey hackle to creat the look of translucence.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no name #5<br />
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-41436231141525929912013-03-18T13:13:00.001-06:002013-03-18T13:13:33.301-06:00The Broadman River - Michigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULbY_tSpCwXkOiQEAHsx80Io7SeX-jTf7QAzqXzXHkUEVI1OUOzyeD3xY1p3IpShwFhOG8KI6QSTUJfHTIoaxfkodTsOjwAifFru9F34dKnnVLilm3ym3tWIxTpDfr5KMTLOLlRzOpFwb/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULbY_tSpCwXkOiQEAHsx80Io7SeX-jTf7QAzqXzXHkUEVI1OUOzyeD3xY1p3IpShwFhOG8KI6QSTUJfHTIoaxfkodTsOjwAifFru9F34dKnnVLilm3ym3tWIxTpDfr5KMTLOLlRzOpFwb/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Broadman is a small river that flows into lake Michigan at Traverse City. I had a chance to fish this river in mid-August 2012, while I was at Grand Traverse for a conference. This river is known to get a steelhead run in the fall and spring and I think with a small spey or switch rod this river could be a really fun time.<br />
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I caught a number of trout mostly on streamers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-eWNKHv1biP1QpNBVXPGZ9pHvttDiyS6dLE4EMpqwr4w6hbG0Q8p6_QVvsCMgWErHShWteQJUzChw5d-AHsYWLGAvCsofKQ7zwPxz85djNa7-j9WIs2ZYI1Yd0YalyiS7ptMCJ7q8kG-/s1600/IMG_0445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-eWNKHv1biP1QpNBVXPGZ9pHvttDiyS6dLE4EMpqwr4w6hbG0Q8p6_QVvsCMgWErHShWteQJUzChw5d-AHsYWLGAvCsofKQ7zwPxz85djNa7-j9WIs2ZYI1Yd0YalyiS7ptMCJ7q8kG-/s320/IMG_0445.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-32608981562597754072013-03-18T13:00:00.001-06:002013-03-18T13:01:47.278-06:00Upper Arkansas River - Colorado<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5X6sKnSRKnRfaYAEmVNNcTDiH_3LcGrY0ob-AZLljBIYJUDDt0yiEjWvIZX4whGjb12jnnV7jGhCClxEbEGaZq2udFfEalLG4xEBK_6EFZ4uerZ9LSpP8joy5amH4GPWxRWpn84quNhX/s1600/P3210025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5X6sKnSRKnRfaYAEmVNNcTDiH_3LcGrY0ob-AZLljBIYJUDDt0yiEjWvIZX4whGjb12jnnV7jGhCClxEbEGaZq2udFfEalLG4xEBK_6EFZ4uerZ9LSpP8joy5amH4GPWxRWpn84quNhX/s1600/P3210025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5X6sKnSRKnRfaYAEmVNNcTDiH_3LcGrY0ob-AZLljBIYJUDDt0yiEjWvIZX4whGjb12jnnV7jGhCClxEbEGaZq2udFfEalLG4xEBK_6EFZ4uerZ9LSpP8joy5amH4GPWxRWpn84quNhX/s400/P3210025.JPG" width="400" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5X6sKnSRKnRfaYAEmVNNcTDiH_3LcGrY0ob-AZLljBIYJUDDt0yiEjWvIZX4whGjb12jnnV7jGhCClxEbEGaZq2udFfEalLG4xEBK_6EFZ4uerZ9LSpP8joy5amH4GPWxRWpn84quNhX/s1600/P3210025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIh2DL-Ex6HKx9stg3sv8xpNTxt_S_p6iE1RyazATdyy1keI9mb5gXUNgZUfAY3wC5bTYDQ_GBSsb-LnSo1eUKAhjMomMmY-cl-KT6ek2rCJtIvm8yX-rhGuW982ZY-XlA1_6BUa3gW8t/s1600/P3210028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIh2DL-Ex6HKx9stg3sv8xpNTxt_S_p6iE1RyazATdyy1keI9mb5gXUNgZUfAY3wC5bTYDQ_GBSsb-LnSo1eUKAhjMomMmY-cl-KT6ek2rCJtIvm8yX-rhGuW982ZY-XlA1_6BUa3gW8t/s400/P3210028.JPG" width="300" /></a>I fished the Upper Arkansas in Colorado in 2011 with my cousin. We had a great trip on the river and caught several hard fighting browns on nymphs and even rose a few to dry flies. The river was very quiet on the days we were there. It was early in the year and most people were skiing rather than fishing I guess did have a few drift boats come down the river, but they did not hurt our fishing at all.</div>
Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-47435061785638047942013-03-18T12:37:00.003-06:002013-03-18T13:02:00.279-06:00Kalama River - Washington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPm_F2uxlmNXe7MJKtaqrcvaKKZUeMXgpDR0vTn3bnGyAj1C2hptbeyPpB5-yorTATKx-jDiGsjnP6drU3nO478WeRxYpM2npAtrATNGkVgpu-S8wlg9eH2It0tN98GNAWWpSQa9KX52/s1600/IMG_0660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnPm_F2uxlmNXe7MJKtaqrcvaKKZUeMXgpDR0vTn3bnGyAj1C2hptbeyPpB5-yorTATKx-jDiGsjnP6drU3nO478WeRxYpM2npAtrATNGkVgpu-S8wlg9eH2It0tN98GNAWWpSQa9KX52/s400/IMG_0660.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I have not fished the Kalama River, But while fishing the Cowlitz I took a ride over to check it out. Here is a picture. this spot had some of the better access. By access I mean a trail to shimy down the hill side on. There were alot of anglers at each pullout on the day I was there. Pretty river.</div>
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<br />Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-16004182390466653242013-03-18T12:18:00.003-06:002013-03-18T13:05:11.275-06:00Cowlitz River - Washington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fl3Rjm2JS5AzHmIfcKE_b6rL6MCFJkwmExGeeodY5toDmScO3Sx0poLAqrj4UWqCvhqcOX7tGpPX-IfknNBLjddNcwR7OFtvdflwKaLFbncIbTelWsqmbsZhro-2fOrc2DfmQ3K-dFAL/s1600/IMG_0652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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This past fall I fished for a couple days on the Cowlitz river in Western Washington State. I was alot of fun. There were plenty of gear guys fishing and I had to rotate through the the Blue Creek Run with other fly anglers, but I landed a ridiculous number of nice hatchery Sea Run Cutts in the 15" plus range on my 6 weight spey. In the first day of hard fishing. I think I landed around 20 of these fish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6OzQZTcXOVn0vX_aaeBg_mOI1n0n8sV9nVhBdKYRRDXdY31GhAQmodC6yt330dEBAr7Smiy4xjwj2thxW3lHDd0u6GeK04JradgzgRKHMt46sGt-R_LENzS7oiVBiUWmWFR506L0qRth/s1600/2012-10-06+09.58.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6OzQZTcXOVn0vX_aaeBg_mOI1n0n8sV9nVhBdKYRRDXdY31GhAQmodC6yt330dEBAr7Smiy4xjwj2thxW3lHDd0u6GeK04JradgzgRKHMt46sGt-R_LENzS7oiVBiUWmWFR506L0qRth/s1600/2012-10-06+09.58.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6OzQZTcXOVn0vX_aaeBg_mOI1n0n8sV9nVhBdKYRRDXdY31GhAQmodC6yt330dEBAr7Smiy4xjwj2thxW3lHDd0u6GeK04JradgzgRKHMt46sGt-R_LENzS7oiVBiUWmWFR506L0qRth/s400/2012-10-06+09.58.21.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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I also landed a nice steelhead on that first day on the Cowlitz. She ate a #8 brown and black Matuka. Really a great fish on the small rod. I really liked the Cowlitz.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsiifFn9XlYcGb5ro2muFWlc7mqQleptVv1-grvpnfotuaUcd9a81lzGdjkUWWDbYDly6BbgTMMy3SEm5__KcHcBK6iaw7zk5K7gSq6Gd0bCfbynmpzS3EaEGJv36uQftyTJgQKStyHSv/s1600/IMG_0639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsiifFn9XlYcGb5ro2muFWlc7mqQleptVv1-grvpnfotuaUcd9a81lzGdjkUWWDbYDly6BbgTMMy3SEm5__KcHcBK6iaw7zk5K7gSq6Gd0bCfbynmpzS3EaEGJv36uQftyTJgQKStyHSv/s400/IMG_0639.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-78581234959837853002012-07-30T10:48:00.000-05:002012-08-06T12:39:03.567-05:00Casting For Steelhead & Salmon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZuKqTRCtbJaQYkaRW5zq7Hp55wG3tdvsGa9vbYrtn9j-DAq_NPdmC0aMIAKQjJFCjNRtmReoWKyznl2eSsa_jgj8LcybWAwWxn1E_2F03TyjxV4-DDGixzl2Ctn0Mp_bLkFvcKkql50J/s1600/487730_3356065631702_565203393_n%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZuKqTRCtbJaQYkaRW5zq7Hp55wG3tdvsGa9vbYrtn9j-DAq_NPdmC0aMIAKQjJFCjNRtmReoWKyznl2eSsa_jgj8LcybWAwWxn1E_2F03TyjxV4-DDGixzl2Ctn0Mp_bLkFvcKkql50J/s400/487730_3356065631702_565203393_n%5B1%5D+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In the words of Dec Hogan the fly rod and the line are essentially a "Weapons Delivery System", with the fly being the weapon for the gathering of Steelhead and Salmon. I like this way of looking at the process of fly fishing for for these fish. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wd6F0ZmQIrQT2Iy9TD7_ww7hXQWR5kE2LEIOriVAJrs5mwYPJkzV1nMDZi4yfrMeT1UPTBtsMIJjV3HjEE8N758gslM7hHDRy9T_roEiq_AvwFA-jj5rpZHMLfck7mhZWa5bF6mkEboV/s1600/P1230068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1wd6F0ZmQIrQT2Iy9TD7_ww7hXQWR5kE2LEIOriVAJrs5mwYPJkzV1nMDZi4yfrMeT1UPTBtsMIJjV3HjEE8N758gslM7hHDRy9T_roEiq_AvwFA-jj5rpZHMLfck7mhZWa5bF6mkEboV/s200/P1230068.JPG" width="200" /></a>The rod and the reel and the line are secondary to the fly, in terms of hooking and landing a fish. If the fly is not there the fish can not eat it. So there must be a fly or there is no fly fishing. Of course, the other tools are also critical process. a leader is needed to hold the fly to the fly line without tipping the fish of to the presence of the fly line, and eventually to tether the fish to the fly line. The fly line is needed if you want to fish further than about 15' (which is aproximately the distance that I can throw an unweighted fly by hand), as the fly needs to be carried by the weight and momentum of the flyline to be delivered to fishes location in the river.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzvSJz3eHhP5H-BKOx-UcUE6xloioWO6HGtPRuodsgvtlKwV-Vn5jSraTsgwz66d6WMyhmu7JnufBP_W1kjFB1fWKhvIyUKGif2VQFETc-mJR5-y3DHeBGzSW_WNwUIeNMELwR4NX_ctb/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzvSJz3eHhP5H-BKOx-UcUE6xloioWO6HGtPRuodsgvtlKwV-Vn5jSraTsgwz66d6WMyhmu7JnufBP_W1kjFB1fWKhvIyUKGif2VQFETc-mJR5-y3DHeBGzSW_WNwUIeNMELwR4NX_ctb/s200/DSC_0135.JPG" width="200" /></a>A person could cast a fly, leader, and fly line by hand and catch fish(Lee Wulf famously accomplished this catching a salmon, long before I was born), but this decrease the efficiency of the process to such a degree that it would quickly become frustrating. I, infact, strive to find efficiency in my fishing exploits, though not to the degree that I would take upnymphing or gear fishing on a regular basis. Anyway, I digress, a flyrod is, in my view, a necessary tool in the delivery of the fly.<br />
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I have caught many fish with either no reel, or a malfunctioning reel, and while this is also possible, it is again, inefficient. Reels are necessary too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iyoz5NPCHA7KgESrjWEcbp02hZWwdBuRLgAku_gAiGvSzh-Xv1V4bwPHrdKzS8aLqQ41A-N1HRGfy_eKphQIyDbigiqcO4EPr0dB8JfZcWOKOrXvz8Klufv-KuuiZG6fkj53sbWzQ0Jd/s1600/slide+(90).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5iyoz5NPCHA7KgESrjWEcbp02hZWwdBuRLgAku_gAiGvSzh-Xv1V4bwPHrdKzS8aLqQ41A-N1HRGfy_eKphQIyDbigiqcO4EPr0dB8JfZcWOKOrXvz8Klufv-KuuiZG6fkj53sbWzQ0Jd/s200/slide+(90).jpg" width="200" /></a>Each river and each season bring their own challenges and requirements, when it comes to getting your fly in front of the fish you are after. Sometimes fish want to eat small (#3-#10) flies on or just below the rivers surface. Other times fish prefer a big fly (3"-5" long) fished 3'-4' below the surface, and some time even deeper than that. Some runs have fish sitting just a few feet off the bank, while others require a very long cast to get the fly out to where the fish are.<br />
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The goal is to figure out what is reguired to find the fish and to then accomplish the delivery of the fly to the fish in the most efficient way possible. Such as fishing a skagit head on a small, tight-to-the-bank, spring river.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxxfiPYD2jyIbIeSp0eRwSrCouVKViJwxgBRQDUfh7b5c01xbE6YJYLq7pUw3id29RSU2X2xJVhwGNu4_EBLQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
Above and Below: Skagit Casting a CF Burkheimer 7133-3 w/550 grn Comapct Skagit. I am casting about a 5" string leach on about a 5' leader and with a 9' T14 tip.<br />
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My favorite way to fly-fish is with a two handed rod. I like to cast long belly lines especially for summer steelhead out on the clearwater and the snake. Although I often fish both Skagit and Scandinavian heads very often throughout the year. Last year, infact, I fished only a Scandinavian head on the snake, where I would normally prefer a long belly. So... there are a lot of ways to skin a cat, I think the best way is to find what you enjoy the most. That way you will spend more time fishing, and less time being frustrated.</div>
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Below are some additional casting videos using various rods and lines for different purposes. I do this as a general reference.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwM4otsZpfeMmzb6rZIJZmzOZaxWW8Vg_RbcTSwGrOappmdform7EwXdhG7CzHuFXKyZ95T1oX0qDrvdgVKhg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Above and Below: Single speys with a Scandi Head: CF Burkhiemer 7133-3 Airflo Scandinavian head on the St. Jean river for Atlantic Salmon. Fishing a #8 Blue Charm.<br />
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Above: Rusty casts a Sage 6110-4 w/ one hand on the Trinty River.<br />
Below: I do a snake roll with the same outfit.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxX8kyuhVkauUHxmyuBQIKfSPkAxMUCoYSAlrJoB4Jsz_6q4Vjzw_5P35BYC5HaoVu9yW4haOzdSCu9RY1a7A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Below: Doing a Snap T with the Sage 6110-4 and a Compact Scandi - Grande Ronde.</div>
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Above: Tom Town performs a left handed single Spey w/ a 16' Bruce and Walker and a Next cast Fall Favorite. Oconto River</div>
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Below: I perform a cross body single spey with a G. Loomis 15' 7wt and a 65' Hardy MachII</div>
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<br /></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-19140262573517504992012-07-16T13:26:00.001-05:002012-07-18T12:21:32.026-05:00Rivers of the Niagara Escarpment - Wisconsin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zR6x8N5hitwxAznEXdf_kuLuC68BhxC7DC05G8AnuEwRpGA_fLqyFmvVRbVZNM-PgQggo1NexbXs-wB76FrfCPMFLkdn2wyoZ6DryIpDm9oFH0-V7xcxFshC_j4tbnMCeoF6bpPkhsq4/s1600/IMG_0004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zR6x8N5hitwxAznEXdf_kuLuC68BhxC7DC05G8AnuEwRpGA_fLqyFmvVRbVZNM-PgQggo1NexbXs-wB76FrfCPMFLkdn2wyoZ6DryIpDm9oFH0-V7xcxFshC_j4tbnMCeoF6bpPkhsq4/s400/IMG_0004.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
The Niagara Escarpment is a continious cliff and /or slope that runs in an East/West curve and stretch from Illinios to New York State, where the most famous part of the escarpment is located, Niagara Falls. In Wisconsin, rivers feeding Lake Michigan from the Illinios border up to the Northern tip of Door County, flow to the East from atop the Escarpment into the lake. These represent alot of our most productive steelhead rivers in the state, such as: the Root River, The Milwaukee, The Sheboygan, the Manitowoc, the Twin Rivers, The Kewanee, the Anhappee, and the streams of Door County.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWD3Uih9WLlRLjNymEj2PNKKyr3mNQOEQ2KCd8ENSavYgZOh0KXIOgfKXoUxAB7ggGJbl1g_wokUR6O3Qd1ftqcXoXhdlnimaA6mEF8CvNXhnMfdLl2wimgKjxLVnF-ww6O0x914ecUhk/s1600/DSCN0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWD3Uih9WLlRLjNymEj2PNKKyr3mNQOEQ2KCd8ENSavYgZOh0KXIOgfKXoUxAB7ggGJbl1g_wokUR6O3Qd1ftqcXoXhdlnimaA6mEF8CvNXhnMfdLl2wimgKjxLVnF-ww6O0x914ecUhk/s200/DSCN0137.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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While these water all vary in character, such as water color, flow speed, etc. they are all productive steelhead waters at certain time each season. Some have a multitude of quality public access, Such as the Kewanee, the Manitowoc, and the Milwaukee. Others such as the Sheboygan have limited access, unless a pass is purchased, to give the angler a chance to pay twice for the chance to catch a steelhead, though the sheboygan is a productive river.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFEp1DQY-yvwiwhRJGPEzyRkenbPvHH_PzviKaotr4HrJwWdlqSLPU68u09ek3ZkY5gd7JVXXEpLsD-lZG6pTRTvnUZayTQ4JUe_5s-VQ3jWtYvg0m0xpRFQqq24thXkWX4fn1PsZrZeg/s1600/slide+(246).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFEp1DQY-yvwiwhRJGPEzyRkenbPvHH_PzviKaotr4HrJwWdlqSLPU68u09ek3ZkY5gd7JVXXEpLsD-lZG6pTRTvnUZayTQ4JUe_5s-VQ3jWtYvg0m0xpRFQqq24thXkWX4fn1PsZrZeg/s200/slide+(246).JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-cUzu-YjFcOwIn523VR9Dx9K8tZNssCvXppt-8-E9l2yMkmmCXyNgrrB6VAdDyr-BGIDbeDYgy7pC3vKwSSxEMOyh2tYIIRxA5y678W1xnzTOTM2XDggzjS3KntaWVOdvJWGr8fVg4uc/s1600/P4170188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-cUzu-YjFcOwIn523VR9Dx9K8tZNssCvXppt-8-E9l2yMkmmCXyNgrrB6VAdDyr-BGIDbeDYgy7pC3vKwSSxEMOyh2tYIIRxA5y678W1xnzTOTM2XDggzjS3KntaWVOdvJWGr8fVg4uc/s200/P4170188.JPG" width="200" /></a>While a visiting angler would likely find these rivers difficult to figure out into a period of a few days or weeks. Two of them are heavily stocked, The Root and the Kewanee, and dont take much figuring out. the other rivers and streams can be very productive, if you know them and if conditions are right, and if you're lucky. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLwFLqWyLTgy3HlfHdSa0Ws_ddFZSJ38MrZBxxGVN2i0FYk67Erc5Mch1LitP5opEwWRVAcx4gpvt_rbUYE6bsd9Vq7ZRdcvvhqUtE9cd-ToXBb59WeSRGXX5vxxSdtINkwoeH5VFA_cC/s1600/P4230003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLwFLqWyLTgy3HlfHdSa0Ws_ddFZSJ38MrZBxxGVN2i0FYk67Erc5Mch1LitP5opEwWRVAcx4gpvt_rbUYE6bsd9Vq7ZRdcvvhqUtE9cd-ToXBb59WeSRGXX5vxxSdtINkwoeH5VFA_cC/s200/P4230003.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
These river can blow out quickly. Often if a big rain falls at the right time of year, it will bring the fish in, but an angler has to time the fishing to coincide with the fishing moving in, but before the river blows out.<br />
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Even though these rivers are very small compared to Western rivers, they can for the most part, be fished with two handed rods.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vX8zj5DOEE3oWFqBL_sxxV_AQ6UpUU-mbb4TqmUoutQSiUPmLHHVHtT01uZZZ90D3I76ZKvICESmL5413eD6sJfRcDyn9BI1JOZYp4YK_jcrW7Lnzu8QvaOv6iF5F4GxHvVUlKBqoTLW/s1600/slide+(249).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3vX8zj5DOEE3oWFqBL_sxxV_AQ6UpUU-mbb4TqmUoutQSiUPmLHHVHtT01uZZZ90D3I76ZKvICESmL5413eD6sJfRcDyn9BI1JOZYp4YK_jcrW7Lnzu8QvaOv6iF5F4GxHvVUlKBqoTLW/s400/slide+(249).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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some rivers are hundreds of feet wide, while others could almost be jumped across. But water flow changes through out the year, and a stream can fish like a river when conditions are right. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIOf600GiOy3hl_bU3gyUPlVNACKjBi9SC6CY5HMeZP5ewcmxlIC2DN4IHgqprqZZddeGgulwamoEEApQbkd6wVzXI_alGBLrJa1omPQNgP4_Rd1d7V-DlIb-V_LHM1848aBVHDdaMRyw/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIOf600GiOy3hl_bU3gyUPlVNACKjBi9SC6CY5HMeZP5ewcmxlIC2DN4IHgqprqZZddeGgulwamoEEApQbkd6wVzXI_alGBLrJa1omPQNgP4_Rd1d7V-DlIb-V_LHM1848aBVHDdaMRyw/s200/IMG_0246.JPG" width="200" /></a> One of these tiny rivers, that flows close to my home looks far too meager to swing flies on for most of the year, but when the best days of the run happen, during high flow periods, I will fish a compact skagit on my Sage 6110 11' 6wt switch rod and work string leaches and similiar flies in bed rock slots and along steep banks. Most anglers, even those that fish two handed rods would never imagine that these streams could swing so well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS57FnTF8PwpUNkH7yFhwmDwIgwsR52qEQl4oAyoEhZ_1vfvNXuy4eswRczB8NiSZtYHyL59dwykhBPv1eyGpVP4QHsJUpLmCdSiAxzWtUJsD1n8z2cp8_1PXTFAO0c9KMs9kLZQYrlPYg/s1600/P4230019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS57FnTF8PwpUNkH7yFhwmDwIgwsR52qEQl4oAyoEhZ_1vfvNXuy4eswRczB8NiSZtYHyL59dwykhBPv1eyGpVP4QHsJUpLmCdSiAxzWtUJsD1n8z2cp8_1PXTFAO0c9KMs9kLZQYrlPYg/s400/P4230019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-83253213208058800252012-07-12T10:43:00.003-05:002012-07-12T10:43:17.906-05:00Renous River - New Brunswick <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48QNDAnEtruw0czzVVY0ewMimuRJSCq0hbCchKLdf5e-axMbMgQCN19rEIPDFgXqwVjA3Pxorke6bjnMyioBY4NmREt9eBu_Q-dn2Bqt0IfYkZi7k_aAll2-_qod7MqlUAcJr2fPh6Mpn/s1600/DSC_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48QNDAnEtruw0czzVVY0ewMimuRJSCq0hbCchKLdf5e-axMbMgQCN19rEIPDFgXqwVjA3Pxorke6bjnMyioBY4NmREt9eBu_Q-dn2Bqt0IfYkZi7k_aAll2-_qod7MqlUAcJr2fPh6Mpn/s400/DSC_0027.JPG" width="400" /><br />
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While fishing the Miramichi river in New brunswick in the summer of 2008. My fishing partner Bob and I along with our guide Jeremy, made a side trip over to fish the Renous river which is a tributary of the Main SouthWest Miramichi River. The Renous enters the main river down stream of where we were staying at Country Haven Lodge near Blackville.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq7TPkwqfbsDec_t58-If2mGTcWPQjXDUOdiuwnR7D6j4PGW6DYX1qbb5dhXFTAgjbOvtogmqKYbns6buwXk70B4aqBu_9N224PRgUOTwsBhhSzHim0YELvDZmCIiW1pc-z0m1iD5Z7_E/s1600/DSC_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrq7TPkwqfbsDec_t58-If2mGTcWPQjXDUOdiuwnR7D6j4PGW6DYX1qbb5dhXFTAgjbOvtogmqKYbns6buwXk70B4aqBu_9N224PRgUOTwsBhhSzHim0YELvDZmCIiW1pc-z0m1iD5Z7_E/s200/DSC_0034.JPG" width="200" /></a>Both the Miramichi and the Renous were high and off color during our trip, and we did not land a fish. We actually only fished this one run on the Renous, but I thought I would add this as reference to the look and the size of the river. <br />
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I really enjoyed fishing this run on the Renous, and was truly in constant expectation of a grab. There were some fish rolling and the run had a bouldery charactor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7MIED8CTzeFQRXrvkc2Ld0NNizJ75rVJGTSqp774fTmoj2_Yo2_eZUtfSauAkDUUj50G-NRbdeE3IQIW7NUIRtjziDEGkw_K58lv64OwjD3bjKeXdsGdGtXEuMh-ufXOpWABpWq6dJLM/s1600/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(25).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7MIED8CTzeFQRXrvkc2Ld0NNizJ75rVJGTSqp774fTmoj2_Yo2_eZUtfSauAkDUUj50G-NRbdeE3IQIW7NUIRtjziDEGkw_K58lv64OwjD3bjKeXdsGdGtXEuMh-ufXOpWABpWq6dJLM/s400/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(25).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-68804561503386802932012-07-05T13:12:00.002-05:002012-07-30T09:20:33.195-05:00Trinity River - CaliforniaTrinity River - California<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkEchU9rU5fRvXgIY0M9H91ezCZMeb_G-h_Ugwvukzxe6WTDmlCqPo8t2XDs_2dgtg3GmMHYhTTNTHsew4u4Zh2gvsxFkWWhy3ky-l7EPzAnJkJzlbytF1FuAS_ciCMg-i0DywaCWQ9Ox/s1600/P1260094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkEchU9rU5fRvXgIY0M9H91ezCZMeb_G-h_Ugwvukzxe6WTDmlCqPo8t2XDs_2dgtg3GmMHYhTTNTHsew4u4Zh2gvsxFkWWhy3ky-l7EPzAnJkJzlbytF1FuAS_ciCMg-i0DywaCWQ9Ox/s320/P1260094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I fished the Eel a few years back. after a few days of getting skunked. we finished up the last day of our trip checking out and fishing the Trinity. We didn't get any sort of sign of steelhead, but it was a pretty river. Here are a few pictures of the river.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf70Eic6rqfVqkAHcwZVyHtIFfFKtTBFMjaTAWqiX2RXgP76A0zv4nqv4rs9k2RP4qtIcpeScM14zIdwQfOy20BfcKeYZeXdoPvG5xztZIRZfAmfnXnqnBj5g45zj_y_XC36Dcp6RrIi4/s1600/P1260109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsf70Eic6rqfVqkAHcwZVyHtIFfFKtTBFMjaTAWqiX2RXgP76A0zv4nqv4rs9k2RP4qtIcpeScM14zIdwQfOy20BfcKeYZeXdoPvG5xztZIRZfAmfnXnqnBj5g45zj_y_XC36Dcp6RrIi4/s320/P1260109.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Trinity flows from the Cascade mountains into the Klamath River and then to the Pacific. It seems to be a popular river for fising nymph and egg patterns. It is very clear water, at least when I saw it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlrNOzpAjftzXJ5sYsel3OKtoMmiO1dy11scKykXNOKJnWw9VmmTMDOERgo6mDF4gfuQDm5ZciPdEUnhwoB1DyWjQFiY2ncXj9hEhJXSPilLnjWGU3FDoIHB-hRRI4inLDl8O3bQalqwj/s1600/P1260087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQlrNOzpAjftzXJ5sYsel3OKtoMmiO1dy11scKykXNOKJnWw9VmmTMDOERgo6mDF4gfuQDm5ZciPdEUnhwoB1DyWjQFiY2ncXj9hEhJXSPilLnjWGU3FDoIHB-hRRI4inLDl8O3bQalqwj/s320/P1260087.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-29612521634427427842012-07-04T19:38:00.000-05:002016-06-20T16:29:24.205-05:00The Margaree River - Nova Scotia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HkxphRI8_wJOX__2fot9sDlWGHXkZcOX7chmSLdzr8GxQgyBa_l3wesve8CHJSNwOFh6NmlDyzGqvMOrFUeFkqxLV_w6aNbIF5WxTVAtNQDwK0DO3KYjuXU1iilW8obOaKghNlH8v5A9/s1600-h/DSC_0324.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273158926491957330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HkxphRI8_wJOX__2fot9sDlWGHXkZcOX7chmSLdzr8GxQgyBa_l3wesve8CHJSNwOFh6NmlDyzGqvMOrFUeFkqxLV_w6aNbIF5WxTVAtNQDwK0DO3KYjuXU1iilW8obOaKghNlH8v5A9/s400/DSC_0324.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> This summer I spent some time checking out the Margaree River in Nova Scotia. Unfortunately Nova scotia does not have a 1 day license, so I had to drop $50 for the week license, But it was worth it to discover this river. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JHeiXj5xG2-ZVQqwbhEcXVM3SYmlxJ9hEjMKe6QY4t_XnoGQ-whGzIzyBrN3husiHwvek_kGdH3OQiMPsx2dvwRNrWiviV0Wgq50KHSc65LU158jMjd8hH0vqt86Q-1mfiFOfz5DWaq7/s1600-h/DSC_0300.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276090515241249154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JHeiXj5xG2-ZVQqwbhEcXVM3SYmlxJ9hEjMKe6QY4t_XnoGQ-whGzIzyBrN3husiHwvek_kGdH3OQiMPsx2dvwRNrWiviV0Wgq50KHSc65LU158jMjd8hH0vqt86Q-1mfiFOfz5DWaq7/s200/DSC_0300.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 133px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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The Margaree is a beautiful little river. The water is very clear, so clear infact that on one run I saw a salmon resting in the middle of a pool as I fished it. The river can easily be fished with a small two handed rod. I had many runs that I fished without getting my whole scandi head out of my guides. </div>
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The fishing was good when I was there in late July. I think this was mostly due to the rains that had just come through Cape Breton, and brought the river up and the fish in. The first evening I fished a couple runs that a Halifax fly shop employee had shown me. The first was incredibly narrow with a big back eddie that swirled along the near side for a good hundred feet, I wasn't to impressed with the run, but the angler that fished through it before me and who waited to fish it again, said it was good and that he had seen a guy land a large salmon from the run the morning before. The run below was more to my liking, alot more like a classic Steelhead run, but no grabs on either run.</div>
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The next morning, I started on a run called Long Pool which is really the Head and bog of a good sized run. The tailout of the large run is called Snag Pool, these seem to be the two most well known runs on the Margaree. There is a bench at the start of Snag Pool and anglers will wait on the bench for their turn to fish the run. I am not into waiting, so I fished Long Pool.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273158915744372386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAp7HgJwUaMNhuSsgl_vVzaJUxfK0fJRzEQTFS_oov1uxls4iuUQSX9sjobdj0EWF9qrfjdHqdCQb6c267NGuUrNokKjW87m9Frh7tcP_20SrkNlA5cADDZ_2VHUHQvshXIbRU5sDTR5f2/s400/DSC_0296.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />There was an angler on the other side of pool from me . I fished behind him but not as far as I would if he were on my side. He landed a grilse pretty quick and it was dime bright. Long and Snag Pools are not even a mile from tidewater and the rains were moving fish in. </div>
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Seeing the guy across hook and land a fish gave me confidence, beyond what I already had. I fish down the riffle at the head of the run, when a older local angler came by and spoke to me, about nothing important, where I was from and such. He was waiting for it to be his turn on Snag Pool.</div>
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I fished as we spoke andwithin a few casts of the start of our conversations start my line snap tight, the rod bucked and the line came loose again.</div>
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"Did you see that?" the Local exclaimed "You just got a take!"</div>
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"Yeah" I said, I had gotten nothing but "takes" all week on the Miramichi.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CwBZfYrxUUBj6dNp8zmxqrud0zMUAY-ZBOjLec60KhTnhBW9yYvnTbyfIsIre27NtQBQoQucUhKwh5OueTKAtnjVzSNVb23Czdgp7ieEW3isya0ZEoSYbLkNhGcfDaUKTKoCzycB4s8U/s1600-h/DSC_0340.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276090520875051490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CwBZfYrxUUBj6dNp8zmxqrud0zMUAY-ZBOjLec60KhTnhBW9yYvnTbyfIsIre27NtQBQoQucUhKwh5OueTKAtnjVzSNVb23Czdgp7ieEW3isya0ZEoSYbLkNhGcfDaUKTKoCzycB4s8U/s200/DSC_0340.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 144px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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"What fly are you fishing?"</div>
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"a number eight Blue Charm."</div>
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"Well, get it back to that fish. You may get him"</div>
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I was pretty excited now. His enthusiasm and the delayed excitement of the grab were settling in. I threw out another cast, and another, the fish didn't come back.</div>
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"What else do you have in your box" The Local asked, and I opened my flybox to show him.</div>
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The Local said "Tie on that Night Hawk, thats a good fly that should bring him back"</div>
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It didn'y and neither did any other fly I tried over the next few minutes, so I tied the Blue charm back on and kept fishing down.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273158909757372290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rm-lIVX3FFL0nsJhyphenhyphensij44RnMTXfWvpimTuG1xhqldS2_KaehguHKYhqSK1VtnOvLDyBqwemxBsTcWu9K1Jaz5-ixfq2nl9t0v-w9W7kkcslEoJb_ez-z2UIpRTmj6Jf-YbKuH4yLiNo/s400/Salar.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 279px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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The Local got in behind me when I had moved down far enough and in a few minutes he was hooked up just where I got grabbed. I ran up to my bag to get my camera and got a few shots of the fight before the fish came off.</div>
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I met a guide as I finished my second pass through the Long Pool. While every angler flyfishes on the Margaree, Spey rods are not common, and I don't think that any one around there was even aware of switch rods, so my equipment was a source of much conversation. Anyway, The guide I met talked to me for a while about two-handed rods and then he told me how I could get to a section of river that had very few anglers on it, and not as many salmon either, but I was interested. He let me park in his yard.</div>
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The section of river was beautiful, I only wish I had had more time to fish. After a couple of fishless hours I headed back to the car, and then down to the Margaree's Tidewater. I fished the tide water for a couple hours. I hooked nothing, but I saw a few salmon sitting in the run, suspended in water that seemed as clear as air.</div>
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-5204523630080163172012-06-07T22:08:00.000-05:002012-07-05T12:39:06.033-05:00Snake River - 2011<div>
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2011</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674695069130930914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkg1wYdfftcwCJFYqc-E1miesiWFMQPKBJu8TEF_3X0eiBa_k2fCf0k6q-lrqNNBgyyjNkNXIPhBePveV1pB_noR3i9jspOysD_e9E2hYl-gd8NQT9kZL8QSg38uC2M2lvklamZoL1bV1/s400/P12-Snake-History.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 145px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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In 2011 Rusty and I both drove out and met on the Salmon River in Idaho. We had done well there in 2010 and the condition on the river seeemed great. there was a little rain but the river looked and fished great. The wildlife was supurb, lots of deer came down to the river to drink while we fished runs. I saw a breeding pair of Golden Eagles, but we caught nothing in two-and-a-half days of fishing. </div>
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We did not have as much time to fish as we have the last two years, so we decided to go see what the Snake looked like. I was worried because when I drove over the Snake near Boise, Idaho, it look big and dirty, but when we arrived to Asotin, Washington and the stretch of river upstream of there, I learned that you can't judge the Snake by what you see in Boise. It looked great and the water was cool.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoMOdaIAfSOjHxbuZQFJCD0609DxmMJBKR9oxkXtXgi4pzW_n7Xa2bqQ_Y5TIgxTVsxL51NEmRWG_5hZ11n9Ys6G58PU9AsZglGv2v1tboC5cZShgMkRsQVJ0rXYE9q2k1oAgFiN2Fiw6/s1600/P1040735.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688680945673970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoMOdaIAfSOjHxbuZQFJCD0609DxmMJBKR9oxkXtXgi4pzW_n7Xa2bqQ_Y5TIgxTVsxL51NEmRWG_5hZ11n9Ys6G58PU9AsZglGv2v1tboC5cZShgMkRsQVJ0rXYE9q2k1oAgFiN2Fiw6/s200/P1040735.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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It was 2pm when we arrived. Cloudy with a light to medium rain. We drove up-river to our favorite run. It didn't take long for things to start. On this run, we know the fish usually grab right at the end, just as the body dumps into the tail; and we were suprised by fish sitting up at the top of the run. </div>
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I fished through first, the water felt good and cool, a little on the high side of perfect but close. I could see a seem that was out a ways, though I thought I could reach it if I pushed. I was fishing a 13'3" 7wt and a Scandi head, so casting big distances took alot more work than when I was using a 15' and long belly on the same run the year before. I was able to reachout and fish the seem though, and and within 20' of the top of the run I hooked a fish on a #3 Yellow Jacket.</div>
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It was a hard fighting fish and a wild one to boot. You can't beat that. I got out of the run and Rusty <br />
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fished through. When he was about half way down, I jumped in at the head of the run again to follow him down. I hooked another fish in the same spot. It was another hard fight and I got the leader into the guides, but the fished threw the hook mid-river after a final run, and an epic jump (that I swear was 5'-6' out of the water vertically). It ate a size 6-8 Purple Green-Butt Skunk</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s1600/P1040747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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That evening Rusty and I fished another of our favorite runs on the Snake. Rusty landed his first Snake river fish on this run and I had gotten our first fish there last year. I followed Rusty down the run. I started at the top of the run. There is an eddy up at the top but the water just out-side of it looks good. So even though we had never even had a grab at the head, I fished it. you never know. And guess what... I got a grab. It came just as my line could swing below the current of the back eddy.</div>
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This was another hard fighting fish. Just take a look at it, a good sized fish. I think this is the biggest Steelhead that I have caught on the Snake. It went for the same little Skunk.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s1600/P1040747.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688480967201458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS8s3smGQQCDghUkfan2nBkqG1yLeTxGfzRsiB-M2yzlVYFA3w4_hgzKZjs5nQpuQLpTEv4WsQce_swPbsIKtTdok_PEfhBW8O4-7RwywzuM7RyZkGeNTP5k7zc3245MhyphenhyphenarGlwRb2vE8/s320/P1040747.JPG" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
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We fished the run until dark. Shortly after landing my fish, a family of otters came floating down river and the male chased me out of the river after I teased him by returning his hisses with my own hiss like sound. <br />
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Before the day was over, However, Rusty hooked into a good sized fish at the lower end of the run. It was dark and try as we might we could not see the fish even when it was right in front of us. It stayed down as deep as it could.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s1600/P1040754.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s1600/P1040754.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674688872281569522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5eI5EnlkuQqLZ5EFMo-xFXuvMRw6zPYyYgI6DsBfvHkvf7j-ukdSDUhErzuHPtUj85bkoeUHZ8zO17HjOJ3DoeZ_7mUeLYMA522Rh4jimIG6Jlw18D86me8KJNVCAEtqwhdgWHrRtyLM/s320/P1040754.JPG" style="float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>Finally, we got the fish landed. It was a nice sized wild King Salmon, mean and healthy, and along ways from the ocean.</div>
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The next morning was bright and sunny and windy. We didn't touch a fish on our first two runs, so we decided to try a run that had been in the running for being the best two years earlier, but had produced nothing in several try's last year. Its fast waters flow across a wide rocky flat and the heaviest currents in a narrow channel on the far side of the river, this brought fish into a small, bouldery area on the rock bar where the current is bearable to rest in and close enough to cast too. Though depending on the rivers flow rate this spot can be too far out to reach. And I suspect that the fish only sit in this area at certain water levels. </div>
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It was bright and sunny. with the sun at my back, and to me that means in the fishes eyes. I was not thinking there was much of a shot. and I wasn't even sure if the run was even fishing that well. Then my line came tight and my tiny little size 8 skunk was sucked up by a ripping fast hatchery hen. Fish can really burn you up on some of the Snakes faster runs and this run is a fast one.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmMRRoxzG1NEDMjYtUWiFiLtpTRKcV-8RGMu9fs3n1UEjoeumq0Xnq_4PeGIm9Rd2Ui6UOEV5-ggAlcZ_1NQI-GpsEDSvl9tzMRclQc3no3JNd1z6ydkmRfede2sYbo0pFT6K426hKpNr/s1600/P1040761.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674695325276764034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmMRRoxzG1NEDMjYtUWiFiLtpTRKcV-8RGMu9fs3n1UEjoeumq0Xnq_4PeGIm9Rd2Ui6UOEV5-ggAlcZ_1NQI-GpsEDSvl9tzMRclQc3no3JNd1z6ydkmRfede2sYbo0pFT6K426hKpNr/s320/P1040761.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-37490147023782163822012-03-02T13:13:00.000-06:002012-07-30T09:00:03.945-05:00Jutland - Denmark<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI9mXHRgNrDbuhzoDKXslHCcTtt3nERbRRRoCNfDpvgIdRKR7VjSs9OmQb2iPvYDOtk_B8MSm0oAI1gsrMOBwgqW4tXhbP0uRqJpizeqglKQoFTD-JR0zIg6AHa3FknGtVaKSyP5cBiMf/s1600/DSCN0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI9mXHRgNrDbuhzoDKXslHCcTtt3nERbRRRoCNfDpvgIdRKR7VjSs9OmQb2iPvYDOtk_B8MSm0oAI1gsrMOBwgqW4tXhbP0uRqJpizeqglKQoFTD-JR0zIg6AHa3FknGtVaKSyP5cBiMf/s400/DSCN0038.JPG" width="400" /></a>The country of Denmark in Northern Europe will likely never make any anglers bucket list. Even though it is in Scandinavia it has very few rivers, and those that exist are not great or easily accessible for fishing. and only a couple support salmon.<br />
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I worked for a company that was based in Northern Denmark, in the region known as Jutland. I loved staying and traveling in this region and I did on a few occasions go fishing, but I never found enough to ever justify the area as anything more than a complete waste fishing time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLqaX8qqFVTf2PFn-Z929Pb1qKyj5EiK9uybKBikx86iy91kVThR_QcD0BWs-O_HPnJiecRanBbG7XENCRoLsLADYGtmvqlW1k50lu2LBstYiWMXCKzu2LveQz74GlF2dLVAU2Zu3hPwL/s1600/DSCN0047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLqaX8qqFVTf2PFn-Z929Pb1qKyj5EiK9uybKBikx86iy91kVThR_QcD0BWs-O_HPnJiecRanBbG7XENCRoLsLADYGtmvqlW1k50lu2LBstYiWMXCKzu2LveQz74GlF2dLVAU2Zu3hPwL/s200/DSCN0047.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m_NKFZeXNNVyTzUZ49qmrfLsEB9V7Ufc-BgogwfxfnAddQuoJuc0u4omU2xTVrQNk2YVKwYsI00x9MelqHV0L2NnnRICHuPutIsBh-jnIa_3j65diF7jwMOPalbY8YLwfXs-nDokO6O_/s1600/DSCN0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m_NKFZeXNNVyTzUZ49qmrfLsEB9V7Ufc-BgogwfxfnAddQuoJuc0u4omU2xTVrQNk2YVKwYsI00x9MelqHV0L2NnnRICHuPutIsBh-jnIa_3j65diF7jwMOPalbY8YLwfXs-nDokO6O_/s200/DSCN0020.JPG" width="150" /></a>There are sea-trou (Sea Run Brown Trout) that run the rivers as well as some hatchery/ fish farm developed steelhead in Jutland. But all agree that each few is few and far between.<br />
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For an American the viking history and landscape make Jutland a fasinating place. We ate lots of great meals, rode Horses on the beach, had a great time and would go back. But not for the fishing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7N09B5PN_ZknDCBxlsN2TW53e4vG5ABINphaUqC_iRO1qkLzAVvYb8iBM8Iq1yFveI3uHKpiHmJM3-3d9z7wUmlZqJAD55F0sjqR74g-F3J6NNyyEyK4d4XnCdl_B_P7mlt38X9Kvgh1/s1600/DSCN0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio7N09B5PN_ZknDCBxlsN2TW53e4vG5ABINphaUqC_iRO1qkLzAVvYb8iBM8Iq1yFveI3uHKpiHmJM3-3d9z7wUmlZqJAD55F0sjqR74g-F3J6NNyyEyK4d4XnCdl_B_P7mlt38X9Kvgh1/s200/DSCN0153.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95QiRdNCKffB3NawnPB2hcwkDBOlqI3xEqo_057Zq89FZZNRjvSuvP-dMzmMJlyjDAtOmAYtpqDwo0Cxt6Z1O6Dig4pQ3GDL4ihtxQ1-apgUpv5O98l34rlbcJl4MzdSnHnoV18ScBNEP/s1600/DSCN0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi95QiRdNCKffB3NawnPB2hcwkDBOlqI3xEqo_057Zq89FZZNRjvSuvP-dMzmMJlyjDAtOmAYtpqDwo0Cxt6Z1O6Dig4pQ3GDL4ihtxQ1-apgUpv5O98l34rlbcJl4MzdSnHnoV18ScBNEP/s200/DSCN0184.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<br />Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-3366592617726280192011-11-14T09:15:00.007-06:002011-11-14T09:38:18.968-06:00The Aleutian Islands - Unalaska, AK<div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgV_gy0wZQXtWNUji4chAvgoYmjv81jBzAtkMp_FA6WoG0a0Ts8ZwihM7-G5jCO3dPegAF5e1Sh1fBzSXTQYS5OXIr-nfzVn_kZIeKUriLVu1RNUhJziBznyXTBwy-9LjGM5qyfUBu8z9/s1600/slide+%2528167%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 267px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674871104676057794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgV_gy0wZQXtWNUji4chAvgoYmjv81jBzAtkMp_FA6WoG0a0Ts8ZwihM7-G5jCO3dPegAF5e1Sh1fBzSXTQYS5OXIr-nfzVn_kZIeKUriLVu1RNUhJziBznyXTBwy-9LjGM5qyfUBu8z9/s400/slide+%2528167%2529.jpg" /></a>In the Summer of 2003 my wife Liz and I, Just married, honey-mooned in Alaska. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb9CQjo-p6jglDNZJjGU1tNK5tqpRowgUO7TPngQzwfzorQGzMGiLzQ0dNHcyHMMnW7U62dVQJtbSKJ8KEAKsrjkzZDuthp7KqDjhNZ_W3fG8aWN43fWAKjFWmaN9nyR7-AZGXJbOm9d8/s1600/slide+%2528164%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674871506888881010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb9CQjo-p6jglDNZJjGU1tNK5tqpRowgUO7TPngQzwfzorQGzMGiLzQ0dNHcyHMMnW7U62dVQJtbSKJ8KEAKsrjkzZDuthp7KqDjhNZ_W3fG8aWN43fWAKjFWmaN9nyR7-AZGXJbOm9d8/s200/slide+%2528164%2529.jpg" /></a>Which is where we had met 5 years earlier while in college. Liz suggested that we could go back to Alaska for our honey moon and mentioned that I could put the trip together. I went a head and planned out two weeks of fishing. One fishing for Salmon on the rivers of Unalaska on the Aleutian Islands, and another week fishing the Naknek and its tributaries in Bristol Bay.</div><div> </div><div>The Aleutian Islands were our first destination, but due to foggy conditions we spent two-and-a-<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoIeDQRlgmNBMy3Sj8bYJ2ZFb0sFwhLmbnvf-LzIpgEk0xGE9YyAqtCrftbU24Q8ZyqbviV_EvHXMQoPQivQ8SKy6863XtydDNGMt-v423zQ8ILDp7LE_cebfvBAHxuqOCcJE52pgukTE/s1600/slide+%2528157%2529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674871854985870898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoIeDQRlgmNBMy3Sj8bYJ2ZFb0sFwhLmbnvf-LzIpgEk0xGE9YyAqtCrftbU24Q8ZyqbviV_EvHXMQoPQivQ8SKy6863XtydDNGMt-v423zQ8ILDp7LE_cebfvBAHxuqOCcJE52pgukTE/s200/slide+%2528157%2529.JPG" /></a>half days just waiting for a plane to be able to fly into the Dutch Harbor airport. We finally made it to the Island. Unfortunately we were not able to go with the outfit that we had planned on also due to the weather, which was a shame as to get there we would have taken a Grummin Duck which is a plane I have not yet flown on.</div><div> </div><div>I explored fishing oppotunities that were road accessible. The local chamber of commerce and the hotel took really great care if liz and I. even lending us a vehicle to explore the island with. They also got us out on the harbor to fish Bass and to see them pull a few crab pot. The Sea Bass fishing was great.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpanczb2RYRy-Geu1SR-zYw0p9v0PqlkbISSsiA3kR5D0MfDLky6Qoki8Fei-oiDACrBDiyQFNtiuJeSiJDvYM2EhKMnlchLJVsvw7LBfSX7J0tkDLMDowgMMskcm7l_zG8l8tdu10DPq8/s1600/slide+%2528160%2529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674871364132220834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpanczb2RYRy-Geu1SR-zYw0p9v0PqlkbISSsiA3kR5D0MfDLky6Qoki8Fei-oiDACrBDiyQFNtiuJeSiJDvYM2EhKMnlchLJVsvw7LBfSX7J0tkDLMDowgMMskcm7l_zG8l8tdu10DPq8/s200/slide+%2528160%2529.JPG" /></a></div><div> </div><div>I also caught a good number of Pink Salmon in the salt water bay behind the hotel. They were a ton of fun.</div><div> </div><div>Eagles were seemingly everywhere.</div><div> </div><div>Unalaska has been a continuos human settlement for the last 9000 yrs. people have called the harbor part of the island home for as long as people have inhabited Damascus. It is very possible, if you believe that the first peoples to the Americas could have traveled by boat rather than land bridge, that the first immigrants from Asia to America came through Unalaska and the Aleutians.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtCIUqlhojyP4p7VrH1qORuEafx1QoZzZosz8VcPJDXKiB9JAOOu5jNKsYuR1c-rWy3nw-EFJPv50P21JKpV9sU1jJ0vbgqLc6urggYioTih8JNXYmbH3A6fBAPNI7k1Gk4Z0Jfd_680s/s1600/slide+%2528166%2529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 134px; height: 200px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674871679789828466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtCIUqlhojyP4p7VrH1qORuEafx1QoZzZosz8VcPJDXKiB9JAOOu5jNKsYuR1c-rWy3nw-EFJPv50P21JKpV9sU1jJ0vbgqLc6urggYioTih8JNXYmbH3A6fBAPNI7k1Gk4Z0Jfd_680s/s200/slide+%2528166%2529.JPG" /></a></div></div></div></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-27461303604552363302011-11-13T20:27:00.005-06:002012-07-05T12:40:18.959-05:00Snake River - 2010<div>
Snake River: 2010<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFQaKBWwQGgG6TSUT3P7KidFq-IbmwL6fugF43qfZxpgZAP2moQ4IxQR27GXLmg0wLqK9SkAuFmAT_k21hftaQXEKvRqaxdk5uiQCyoyGQmjtnmmt_A1i0HqXAfb3Ynm74zsd-6QaKM3Z/s1600/P1030358.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674673280677815714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFQaKBWwQGgG6TSUT3P7KidFq-IbmwL6fugF43qfZxpgZAP2moQ4IxQR27GXLmg0wLqK9SkAuFmAT_k21hftaQXEKvRqaxdk5uiQCyoyGQmjtnmmt_A1i0HqXAfb3Ynm74zsd-6QaKM3Z/s400/P1030358.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>In October 2010 Rusty and I headed back the Region of the Nez Perce. Travel was tough this year with cancelled flight and unplanned detours, but we made it to the Salmon only a half day later than expected.</div>
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Our first evening was great despite the water being a bit warmer than desirable. the weather was <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s1600/P1030292.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674672766316990178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s320/P1030292.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a>mild and we got one of our favorite runs, a nice long easy wade with a rip that sits about 80' from knee deep the whole way. I wore a T-shirt since the weather so fine, feeling good to be done traveling and finally fishing. The run we were on produced rusty's first fish last year... and mine this year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrOhkfcXQknVZ03e9-ox1rvwaeUELyJyjNWKP2a2OjM71GsZDsIIHerymF_9ucg9_QC1r2gcObqKvqkQygF-eFjf0-DT9FOZ56_GSOJ1jKsHlzPGC3DO2nFuiKVF1fhyZefau_Z6XZ3jO/s1600/P1030292.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a> </div>
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I fished a Thompson River Caddis down the lower half of the run and, just as day tipped to twighlight, the fish took. It was on the strip, but it still took. </div>
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I had gotten a 15' TnT from poppy the previous fall and this was my first fish with the rod. I was worried that a 9wt would be too much rod for smaller fish, but this fish I caught our first night was 5-6 lbs and it was a great fight and I, don't think a smaller rod would have made the experience any more fun.</div>
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We camped around a bunch of other fly fishers, but apparently what we fish and what they fish is different, as we almost never seemed to see these guys on the water<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ5jY-BA0MlSWDRSgqk1l9yA5iEo_CPEgwniOrCGeJ4oOK21HxDPzuQ5_whs7eFTgZlEDVZVxBoeWdHnoK9ddXA5yvWTh99VzIG-4t0dCUIREROLXsgrzYh5QSG3-YreYKQQLDt7AIKx9/s1600/P1030302.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674673471179843858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ5jY-BA0MlSWDRSgqk1l9yA5iEo_CPEgwniOrCGeJ4oOK21HxDPzuQ5_whs7eFTgZlEDVZVxBoeWdHnoK9ddXA5yvWTh99VzIG-4t0dCUIREROLXsgrzYh5QSG3-YreYKQQLDt7AIKx9/s200/P1030302.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 150px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a> we fished. Although there is more pressure this year than last. The guys at camp were having a tough time with the warm water. Over the next few days we fished some very good water and struggled to find fish. we ran up to the Clearwater a few times but it had alot of people on it.</div>
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We did connect with two more fish. Both under pretty bright conditions. Both also came off what was our most productive run last year. I caught a small fish under a bright/partly cloudy midday sky. It ate a yellow/Orange/ Natural Married wing spey, my first married wing fish, and some how that matters.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZDns5o8-jbMzmVhjbzguZbodDXjPQJ69ttU_YxHBtJI-P5ladXu-fbuTzSwvTiBjDip7_WG-gCYiABKK2m2j_oFzr2qMyxDM1mZQfwxm0FOQAqWfuBbnWR6Ts5wHC7dHiCgPxNhqrK2d/s1600/P1030307.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674672993982482834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZDns5o8-jbMzmVhjbzguZbodDXjPQJ69ttU_YxHBtJI-P5ladXu-fbuTzSwvTiBjDip7_WG-gCYiABKK2m2j_oFzr2qMyxDM1mZQfwxm0FOQAqWfuBbnWR6Ts5wHC7dHiCgPxNhqrK2d/s320/P1030307.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>A day later on the same run, Rusty hooked our best fish of the trip. It was late morning. I am not sure what fly rusty was fishing but I would wager it was 3 or 5 Yellow Jacket (last years magic fly).</div>
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Though the conditions were not as perfect as the year before. we found fish when fishing was tough and the Snake continued her kind and generous tradition.</div>
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We fished our 2010 trip fishing the Salmon River in Idaho, which is a tributary of the Snake. We had a great time.</div>
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</div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-35206063631464325102011-03-15T11:25:00.000-06:002012-07-05T12:58:27.601-05:00Muskegon River - Michigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Kmabl6N-CJZcXt01va5NrtGuMbWCU1YxH4NI900NjLi9mX-bNdHjzADvl1PybB_91m_7s3-TNpPmWPljeMADF9g18aLz58zEdxDyodLn4IEWolt66-ToSP0t459REEJbY_5jZObfPEN0/s1600/Muskegon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4vKO5iUz79xVSqrslevO_6O4avIJfp7OGvKn2CpURlH6PKLRvtE-wEw-7WbzQe8lESxVaArfHK0QkyO_PoArah5bTpKqWpCVOarBbqw3n5lxqtRrTwXo05nsD3L5TrisXlSYTVCrcFGy/s1600/slide+(218).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4vKO5iUz79xVSqrslevO_6O4avIJfp7OGvKn2CpURlH6PKLRvtE-wEw-7WbzQe8lESxVaArfHK0QkyO_PoArah5bTpKqWpCVOarBbqw3n5lxqtRrTwXo05nsD3L5TrisXlSYTVCrcFGy/s320/slide+(218).jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
I have twice made trips to the Muskegon River in Michigan. It is a very pretty river for the great lakes and has lots of interesting water to fishing. From Croton Dam down to Newago the river runs in a deep and heavily wooded valley. below newago I remember the river bottom getting sandier and the current become more laminar and slow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyZ9lcN9mTOV-JjsOIOZLjl5ikHQOnlTp6Y8KGNh1ZXBAAI7kQp7n8Rv_pDqm65QPIqNLwK4FvzpfyFCfrWk0sDpUNANsQA7CG-b7ZT1PxdnLDUxlfEsOh3xrlsU8eABpOJQ64alORNyk/s1600/slide+(219).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyZ9lcN9mTOV-JjsOIOZLjl5ikHQOnlTp6Y8KGNh1ZXBAAI7kQp7n8Rv_pDqm65QPIqNLwK4FvzpfyFCfrWk0sDpUNANsQA7CG-b7ZT1PxdnLDUxlfEsOh3xrlsU8eABpOJQ64alORNyk/s200/slide+(219).jpg" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="134" /></a></div>
Access is limited and flating or boating the river seems to be the best way to access the best fishing water. Jet boats are a great way to move from spot to spot, but I dont have one of those, so the next time I return I will use my Watermasters and just hire a shuttle service.<br />
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I have caught a few steelhead on the Muskegon and I really look forward to catching a few more.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxzVOZwKWHqIDWrXAwa3lKIn4g6KX7o-ihgfo6RP63C09ZjdPAQSJ0Ro9wm6XkUwKvp5sB5PbyUe9JOFoZfx3dN9Uj1XgbVJFDLJRCThWs9jnLzRN_55oOXByUbYS5Ikf5VxV0TjeiFoA/s1600/slide+(216).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxzVOZwKWHqIDWrXAwa3lKIn4g6KX7o-ihgfo6RP63C09ZjdPAQSJ0Ro9wm6XkUwKvp5sB5PbyUe9JOFoZfx3dN9Uj1XgbVJFDLJRCThWs9jnLzRN_55oOXByUbYS5Ikf5VxV0TjeiFoA/s320/slide+(216).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-37656697321405866092011-03-08T19:45:00.009-06:002013-06-18T13:31:28.099-05:00The Salmon River<div>
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674668130578678946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTxhF2FoZhuIqzNBmNqTcJmmBkqHyMjBZwMkMwMwZkpZbqoMrNTzdolefbNyhAaEaDGN9dA83SUOZ1e-0uyNqp29919z49jFOInF-nkvDDyI98eboksZKGoAoeXSMj1jGlR9OeK9086Cd/s400/Deadbeat+Run+Salmon+River.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 195px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />In the fall of 2010 my friend Rusty and I made our trip out to fish the Snake, Grand <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ronde</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Clearwater</span>. River conditions on the Snake were a little tough with some pretty high water temperatures on the Snake and a frustrating number of people on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Clearwater</span>. We caught a few fish on the Snake, had a few early grabs on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Clearwater</span> and that kept us fishing there longer than I wanted, but other guys were getting fish. One guy got a fish on a popular run that I had just told Rusty was a pure shit of a run. I guest don't get the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Clearwater</span>.<br />
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After about five days jumping between the Snake and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Clearwater</span>, we decided to try some new water and headed down to the Salmon river near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Riggins</span>, ID. On the drive down I realized the down side to the Salmon is that if you get there and it is not fishing, you will have a long drive to find them. The drive down was really neat though, as you come south down 95 from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Clearwater</span> you a following the route that Lewis & Clark used to return to the east, after reaching the Pacific Ocean. Rusty has read the accounts of that trip and was able to tell me about some of their adventures as we headed through passes and valleys of Idaho. <br />
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We passed through a town on the way that had the full skeleton of a mammoth in a glass house. I am often looking for spots where ancient people would have traveled or lived in the lands I fish and here was a sign of the truly ancient, the prey of America's first humans. The slopes around us were wooded with several streams and they over looked a great grassy valley. I imagined people gathering fire wood and being able to see the mammoth in the distance, across the valley 8,000 years earlier.<br />
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Anyway, we had to get licenses in R<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">iggins</span> as well as camp supplies so we got to the Salmon too late to fish, but were able to identify a few good looking spots to start on the next day. As we made camp we had a Small doe wandered by our beautiful and relatively solitary camp and that was just the beginning of the deer we saw over the next day and a half. We saw lots of "small" bucks(according to Rusty that is, to my whitetail eyes they looked huge) and does along the banks and hillsides of the the Salmon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ot1hyphenhyphen25CWe6wd38eS-UrgcdsA_FOfMj3-UNoFJl6bACqtvDgyZc7h3BZQhb6KRREKonPEp3ckA6fy7pRz2dYvr5NezSZ_fgU5QmTt5lbFYpi5o1JwmIZ_oaPtxmATTLYiGW8T7AqEItH/s1600/P1030370.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674667428104805554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ot1hyphenhyphen25CWe6wd38eS-UrgcdsA_FOfMj3-UNoFJl6bACqtvDgyZc7h3BZQhb6KRREKonPEp3ckA6fy7pRz2dYvr5NezSZ_fgU5QmTt5lbFYpi5o1JwmIZ_oaPtxmATTLYiGW8T7AqEItH/s320/P1030370.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a></div>
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This year Rusty brought a camper, and it was really awesome. We got camp set up pretty quick and efficient, as Rusty got me in line with camp chores and trailer moving, although I was the one who encouraged all the moving...but that another story. The point is that the trailer was great and that we had a good camp there on the Salmon.</div>
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The next morning we were up bright and early and on the river. We marked a few spots on the GPS on the way down the Salmon the day before. I started, what I thought was about half way down the run, but this run like lots of runs we found on the salmon are just a little different. I was at the head of a little twelve-to-twenty cast spot, but it only took three.</div>
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I hooked and landed a pretty bright hatchery hen, especially for being over seven hundred miles from the sea (I will double check on that number)<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674667190354202194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVy3M_2k3H9zjwC_y6nHaHq8loR7yf7mKj6asKl-uYyp5tv7fBaabuVWmOlnbUvyQiwcIsvQ1k6n6GYxmF0pegDIDjq1FYCRHaDY_ROGlxgGGDnVszr_4ZIi_Egk7APE3pzPwFjakDNyd/s400/P1030380.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></div>
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Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-41426212821937907032010-10-13T12:45:00.000-05:002012-07-30T09:00:33.859-05:00Talachulitna River - Alaska<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdPQXuPAxifz2n2w3sknREuFrcSQbzoWtbz49AUKF0mQZ9PhbVIT0CJiZra-9XYg_GTRL66ck8wli2BisljC-tspdb4wemG8LL9kV2fEMmmBNVXVRUKOLchW9mqdho4KNnT7ccH9os5nn/s1600/3river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdPQXuPAxifz2n2w3sknREuFrcSQbzoWtbz49AUKF0mQZ9PhbVIT0CJiZra-9XYg_GTRL66ck8wli2BisljC-tspdb4wemG8LL9kV2fEMmmBNVXVRUKOLchW9mqdho4KNnT7ccH9os5nn/s400/3river.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
I guided for a lodge on the Talachulitna River in the Summer of 1998. I learned alot about guiding that summer. It was hard work, and it was sometimes very rewarding. It was also not a specific job that I would not recommend for any one else.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TGhGZWg0MIpMAYFiqHaesMF8H2zA8WXUyz7Lre-L2IDz4YIgyWbwvTwo4N_pYtFR7roWDItBFRH0dThLg7vQp_l_vUqb0X34Nu0iDGF_Gxktxu0WjQDG3au5mku7_3WDtJXfKQwnCUw0/s1600/slide+(201).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TGhGZWg0MIpMAYFiqHaesMF8H2zA8WXUyz7Lre-L2IDz4YIgyWbwvTwo4N_pYtFR7roWDItBFRH0dThLg7vQp_l_vUqb0X34Nu0iDGF_Gxktxu0WjQDG3au5mku7_3WDtJXfKQwnCUw0/s200/slide+(201).jpg" width="200" /></a>There are alot of fishing lodges in Alaska, and there is a broad spectrum of fishing experiences. Some lodges are better than others and some rivers are better than others. this is true wther you are a guide or a client. There is also alot of potential dangers in the Alaskan wilderness, and a person would do best to go where those dangers are minimized. so when choosing a lodge to fish at or guide at, a person should choose with care, and consider not just price but whole package.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio28roMm7KCakZYfXDD0Sp1tI8ESyG8qTu8TkjvWIIa7IzAf_WwWv7oY87kdM6-o2MY2MNuMMW02D59sGFE9JkknJPWsOa_27fwJR-vzLn_tzLb8tFRS7LljsbYTD3tdcI6BCtysCSm5TT/s1600/DSCN0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio28roMm7KCakZYfXDD0Sp1tI8ESyG8qTu8TkjvWIIa7IzAf_WwWv7oY87kdM6-o2MY2MNuMMW02D59sGFE9JkknJPWsOa_27fwJR-vzLn_tzLb8tFRS7LljsbYTD3tdcI6BCtysCSm5TT/s200/DSCN0226.JPG" width="200" /></a>Anyway, The Tal is a beautiful river that lies about 120 airmiles northwest of Anchorage it is a tributary to a tributatry to the Susitna River. The Talachulitna dumps into the Skwetna, which feeds the Yetna, and then to the Susitna. It is a clear river and holds a great trout and Char populations.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgAkpycN-V9h0zKDIWBqYoHdAuR7vDiRvZgEB7VVPlATrTUJYrx-oHhK59BhpyF3vP9v0NUH8e9rqvrXmM_phCwvspgOgffNAxBtV9uqff8s1SBWM8uhAyTlet7lU21wvHQx5VPrDAoQo/s1600/1fishing_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgAkpycN-V9h0zKDIWBqYoHdAuR7vDiRvZgEB7VVPlATrTUJYrx-oHhK59BhpyF3vP9v0NUH8e9rqvrXmM_phCwvspgOgffNAxBtV9uqff8s1SBWM8uhAyTlet7lU21wvHQx5VPrDAoQo/s200/1fishing_04.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
We spent most of king salmon season either plugging at the mouth of the Tal or crossing the Skwetna to fish a creek that came in opposite the Tal. This creek was the place to cast flies for Kings. We would cast from our boats into the pond sized pool that was the mouth of the creek. We landed many kings on flies and light tackle. the best flies were the George Cooks popsicles, and showgirls.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8WyMcWiAoeBfLeXRExFhFsKCLC3kjGk8STgPMXL74Ic-EQMM1EuIGujTR3IC3vyRzSgdLfXE8t33hT84HEgnB5ZhxIAFHzbp-XhgtLMxPJtHKi8pOx11VdIys5XL5DhUksHul3wfMPvF/s1600/010+bow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8WyMcWiAoeBfLeXRExFhFsKCLC3kjGk8STgPMXL74Ic-EQMM1EuIGujTR3IC3vyRzSgdLfXE8t33hT84HEgnB5ZhxIAFHzbp-XhgtLMxPJtHKi8pOx11VdIys5XL5DhUksHul3wfMPvF/s200/010+bow.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
The days of guiding King Salmon were long as guys could start fishing at 6am and had to stop at 11pm. I often had a few guys in the boat through out the day as they would often rotate through. as one guy came back with his King for the day, another angler would be motivated to get out and try for a few ours, and so days during King Salmon season where rough, especially considering prep and clean up time. <br />
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There were also time that I was given entire days and even a whole week or two where I got to explore the river without clients, after my chores were done. I hike up the Tal and would fish my way down, catching big dollies and rainbows.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJmowOZQ8lOKz-XAEU_IifQvE1gnWBlu41wTfBy8FJcBCkE1mmuPjdRd5pWp6x3A6EVdiYyB4Ef2aY7MpRGF3Uw8cD5MWk81mDLoaMDs9uCbFAKak5HRhBaYdPcNXgYNHxlcDR48qMx24/s1600/011+bow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJmowOZQ8lOKz-XAEU_IifQvE1gnWBlu41wTfBy8FJcBCkE1mmuPjdRd5pWp6x3A6EVdiYyB4Ef2aY7MpRGF3Uw8cD5MWk81mDLoaMDs9uCbFAKak5HRhBaYdPcNXgYNHxlcDR48qMx24/s400/011+bow.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-49448351028972026152009-07-03T14:57:00.000-05:002012-07-12T10:54:26.496-05:00Miramichi River - July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeG23srvRAEJEEqPlAEgBjNWyJ7KCMubGTtDTW8gfyJFjuC7BOHXOQ2Kg6CWDqhnb15zjHwBxKNU4wSxGkpRH7x1oPX0klteXtjP4UDZZTHWEHtXWPCGEPltlC9HaTRVnlVIJ558-yed9/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHeG23srvRAEJEEqPlAEgBjNWyJ7KCMubGTtDTW8gfyJFjuC7BOHXOQ2Kg6CWDqhnb15zjHwBxKNU4wSxGkpRH7x1oPX0klteXtjP4UDZZTHWEHtXWPCGEPltlC9HaTRVnlVIJ558-yed9/s400/DSC_0003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I headed out to the Miramichi in late July of 2008. I had come up with a plan to have customers join me in the pursuit of salmon. I arrived on July, 23rd and spent the 24th visiting customers in the New Brunswick Provence and getting every thing organized for the trip. I stopped in at the local fly shops (WW Doak & Curtis) to get fishing licenses, flies, and the skinny on the river. Word was good, Lots of fish were entering the river and the recent and ongoing rains were moving fish into the system. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGXWEehB64aEVOI5xEtBtFhh5Jl_dz9NbbXEDqDe7KPXwGvIvJfgukwnZ3z9Wb1LULHRkUF89pplo6TRh8usGKPq9J-v9-wYM6QdWur3G7xYwXwFuKviE4A6s9njGGVVUU6hBOyPyymc/s1600-h/DSC_0315.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245222596378100658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGXWEehB64aEVOI5xEtBtFhh5Jl_dz9NbbXEDqDe7KPXwGvIvJfgukwnZ3z9Wb1LULHRkUF89pplo6TRh8usGKPq9J-v9-wYM6QdWur3G7xYwXwFuKviE4A6s9njGGVVUU6hBOyPyymc/s200/DSC_0315.JPG" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a><br />
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I stopped at the Miramichi Salmon museum in Doaktown and enjoyed the day, anticipating the next.After getting some food at the grocery I headed for the cabin that I had reserved at Country Haven Lodge.<br />
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I met up with Byzee, the lodge owner, who informed me that while the current group of anglers had not yet landed a fish, they were rolling fish on virtually every run, more good news. I took a nap and got up to make the 2 hour drive back to the airport to pick up Bob, the customer that I would be fishing with, I had another customer lined up as well but, he had to cancel.I met Bob at 11pm and we made it back to the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV27a6bO0zrQTDpPzbqjuz36ZS406ZulEvbBHAxwGx4X1z4ZI8Q7K2pA12GqoZ4YwaQrIg8GW2g4U-rhuL2sKJRsDyKXgXaTt1aKFeFsOZ1yFUH6OAFS5fuoU3Q-Tzg2eLrI7t_QxlOTQ/s1600-h/DSC_0245.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245218604539895762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV27a6bO0zrQTDpPzbqjuz36ZS406ZulEvbBHAxwGx4X1z4ZI8Q7K2pA12GqoZ4YwaQrIg8GW2g4U-rhuL2sKJRsDyKXgXaTt1aKFeFsOZ1yFUH6OAFS5fuoU3Q-Tzg2eLrI7t_QxlOTQ/s200/DSC_0245.JPG" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a>lodge by 1am. We had a drink and hit the hay we had to meet our Guide Jeremy at 7am, so we could get time in before the heat of the day rolled in.<br />
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We fished two runs that first morning, we had just settled on one when we got word that one of the guides who was not working, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHgNMEeTmRW3Ee5IxG0Pt_p8cBHs6VHMf_CQIPYPHeDfdsnOVZQ7IksPkOQPsH_Hwlv83w6KakAlYzWISejyQV-PxWnq_egSCLi2Xzfd4YKy3tGJ0O4XZ5VUChd-us7xwWD9S3FdZUfos/s1600-h/miramichi+2+(197).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334654445443099090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHgNMEeTmRW3Ee5IxG0Pt_p8cBHs6VHMf_CQIPYPHeDfdsnOVZQ7IksPkOQPsH_Hwlv83w6KakAlYzWISejyQV-PxWnq_egSCLi2Xzfd4YKy3tGJ0O4XZ5VUChd-us7xwWD9S3FdZUfos/s200/miramichi+2+(197).JPG" style="float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 133px;" /></a>had a large pod of salmon on the run behind his house and he had just landed one. So we headed over.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpAvgkUcAbNSxh-hgcU8OK5ossnpJ_MhUDMm_QI3p4RBv1Qth-JbjejOndzN3izjRSbIKGR2NMrow4mUag49E7wy7MHkkkPBfzv8NxMfPPhnheIQrL6GaDI6I_IO1iRVFyNYoJxPBvj9s/s1600/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(11).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpAvgkUcAbNSxh-hgcU8OK5ossnpJ_MhUDMm_QI3p4RBv1Qth-JbjejOndzN3izjRSbIKGR2NMrow4mUag49E7wy7MHkkkPBfzv8NxMfPPhnheIQrL6GaDI6I_IO1iRVFyNYoJxPBvj9s/s400/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(11).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The run we fished was called the Warren Pool, it is across the river from Ted Williams Cabin. We got there at the same time as some other anglers, and since warrens is public water that is how it goes, but a really heavy shower of rain drove all of the river, excepting me. The rain stopped and Bob jumped in a head of me and the run was all ours. In not too long a fish boiled my fly, never to return. It was a long run and took nearly two hours to fish through, so then it was time for a midday break. After a lazy afternoon, we headed out with Randle, another guide, at about 6pm to fish a run about ten mile up stream from the lodge. Randle polled a boat over to an island in the river from which we fished. Randle actually owned the island, and it was obvious once he began explaining the run, intimate details breaking down each part of the run, specific direction where and how to wade the run, how to line your self up, where to stop and <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HynWsiw0h-Bmujh8VhrmJ3GS0qMPvNDA74RrfxadFhYg5bRLfDqeMtVv9EHqQRVo6geEozCYkkXYzEXUIxMhFbrYYTFXZ8P3J7YUl_9unXYRSKTbVqcNbWy6zScG8J4NqRNfzY4V994/s1600-h/DSC_0340.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245223214529092194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HynWsiw0h-Bmujh8VhrmJ3GS0qMPvNDA74RrfxadFhYg5bRLfDqeMtVv9EHqQRVo6geEozCYkkXYzEXUIxMhFbrYYTFXZ8P3J7YUl_9unXYRSKTbVqcNbWy6zScG8J4NqRNfzY4V994/s200/DSC_0340.JPG" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a>take a couple casts, etc. and in my first pass through the short run, I goy a solid yank, a surface explosion, the fish came unplugged and was gone.<br />
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Bob was having some trouble casting the 10’ 8wt that I had <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSK26LeG_oTGliVuZgdbT3R_YVthRZz_szjAMh4QBFeh7hbDfb89u_48DXZ5lIGhgwS9VonhhezPvSBY9DN3HV9bNbb-rbdo6VYE81A5ZKTgYfh7FDG71MsW5SMuMFtOoWAdyb8yWkWte/s1600-h/miramichi+2+(203).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334654450415578914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSK26LeG_oTGliVuZgdbT3R_YVthRZz_szjAMh4QBFeh7hbDfb89u_48DXZ5lIGhgwS9VonhhezPvSBY9DN3HV9bNbb-rbdo6VYE81A5ZKTgYfh7FDG71MsW5SMuMFtOoWAdyb8yWkWte/s200/miramichi+2+(203).JPG" style="float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 133px;" /></a>brought for him, his arm was getting tired so I gave Bob the two handed rod I was fishing to see it would not be so tiring and I thought that even a bad two handed caster can consistently get the fly thirty or forty feet from <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJ-rqmun3tBc8gc4SaZ9z8gRpABAxGqFi1FwQ2BzIIldOa_OufUs1hQR0rby1TdkQr2HzVCi3TPH50elkoXPK0sPAavhnMJ3Y7hCLmbZGJz8zzDS-T8FmgSjS1C22tfmdMPZLwtdG8Ns/s1600-h/miramichi+2+(211).JPG"></a>their body. The instinct was correct, Bob fished out the evening with the two hander, and while he still had some misgivings about the whole salmon fishing idea in general, he at least liked the rod better. I think Randle kind of fell in love with the 11’ 8wt switch rod and scandi head I was fishing as well, he kept telling me how amazing the cast was and kept quizzing me about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_Kg0qevK0FazK0OzSxoVEOdcygIj3jP07inJbkAkBXWQb7lLJTW9AIaM40C4jzNnYTh8HIrnlelHnE5pau0DfKdNtnbeYXUeKi0l1lLCUHG-C-ZnI-3FzLUsL8ghECYlv5CJbZQcFtjV/s1600/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_Kg0qevK0FazK0OzSxoVEOdcygIj3jP07inJbkAkBXWQb7lLJTW9AIaM40C4jzNnYTh8HIrnlelHnE5pau0DfKdNtnbeYXUeKi0l1lLCUHG-C-ZnI-3FzLUsL8ghECYlv5CJbZQcFtjV/s320/Copy+of+miramichi+2+(19).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mUg00ZJV8UyRqcRW7M6HDaQKM3mugO0KTErHcxFESnwHMIiDwOt0iJkudIPofSI011f4kKcxk3PHUz9XZtwYh6_y3ZO1FrzcCR3LtmHRVLfYZ66HguLGqOABdOSTXHbzCbNK2Uf73vU/s1600-h/DSC_0313.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245223212547292274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mUg00ZJV8UyRqcRW7M6HDaQKM3mugO0KTErHcxFESnwHMIiDwOt0iJkudIPofSI011f4kKcxk3PHUz9XZtwYh6_y3ZO1FrzcCR3LtmHRVLfYZ66HguLGqOABdOSTXHbzCbNK2Uf73vU/s200/DSC_0313.JPG" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a>The next morning, I rigged Bob up with my 6126 Sage and a 6/7/8 windcutter, and it is a good thing, because the run Jeremy took us to, Mid-way Bar, had virtually no back cast. I gave Bob a quick casting lesson and headed down stream. There were some guys upstream and in a short time one of them got a fish, and just as that saga was over Bob hooked a salmon. The fight covered 200-300 of river bank, and took over 30 minutes, before the fish made an escape. Aw well crap happens.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245219547161718754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXCN2RHCdW8l5TbIDc_6RCK6LMb-51THFq6i3HNMcAxvS0l4h7K9n2zvxY1tjqBq8_0rRqu_V_UenoiFv8i5TrmqncjTJOMW20cO2plxNabWqnmizIyUo10FvHPIl1teXzeTXEcnclyU/s400/miramichi+2+(85).JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /><br />
Bob now got it. Even though the fish got away he now knew why the wait and effort were worth it. And that is good be cause in the next day and a half we rose nothing more. The river was high and the fish were blowing right through the lower river. We checked out some of the Miramichi’s tributaries, the Cains and the Renous Rivers. Both were enjoyable. <br />
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I gave Jeremy a Winston Spey rod as a tip, as he had guided me on my last trip, and I thought it would be good for him to know and understand two-handed rods and casts and fishing, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLxySKHuc2EMvAltF6cAK7FPBMB08bgH_yjuqbvRQttbC-LVH19Fhwn1RSaNhF2itXUpBftIXAlv3qmBje0G8o8K8Re2WGVbHCO3m0DlQLE8_inXQrqsKjcjK6TNQetsAMnTrBn6jVno/s1600-h/DSC_0334.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245222592279418930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLxySKHuc2EMvAltF6cAK7FPBMB08bgH_yjuqbvRQttbC-LVH19Fhwn1RSaNhF2itXUpBftIXAlv3qmBje0G8o8K8Re2WGVbHCO3m0DlQLE8_inXQrqsKjcjK6TNQetsAMnTrBn6jVno/s200/DSC_0334.JPG" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px;" /></a>as it is growing in popularity. But not too much around the Miramichi yet, I got a lot of comments and stares.<br />
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I ran Bob over to the Airport on Monday and then shot down the road to visit with customers in the Halifax area, and then to visit another near the Margaree.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vGDW0Q1gP9OFio2V_xXwca4506EA_-ja03a84msZL6DO8HvIwd-c917ATrCN8cBnBmPxdUWcygh4KFISM5gXyx76bxFfSi_6f6i8GWfgeHycSPbyVs5zeQUEbmuQ6WHpw9aZIuK5wks/s1600-h/DSC_0323.JPG"></a>I got alittle fishing in on the Margaree after my visits and even got a grab out of the first run I fished which was near the tide water, but I caught nothing. The Margaree is really beautiful and the regulations are great for the on-your-own type guy, meaning no guide needed, no beats to buy, just a license and you can fish.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334654981175505442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNE9UOQtG6-29tqaw1WTRDl2MGFYJVK7ABO1WZEE8Hymam5HMiexCNs7eQ1MIU-juqZubOCp0uY30qb_ayA4duM1Qn_xIPxZ7PzeRO8BdwAgaMuNVAHiOsnddwp-VzHeMV_2wlabQe-KGb/s400/miramichi+2+(211).JPG" style="display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-54442071821955902722009-06-27T07:26:00.003-05:002009-06-29T10:39:19.972-05:00Grande Ronde River<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuQyulShD1cq7mGsehbU0FAMPff0kKA6UMgO2wt-MiP5b8V4T5k96bgEEznh80aI5oJbtDzbxiPkYvq-UrK_039xlsCGOJo732AwVRZyqmw68IHzarBhzryRC-UdfjvPUTjFvjZOPOzhA/s1600-h/DSCN1484.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266785381520390930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuQyulShD1cq7mGsehbU0FAMPff0kKA6UMgO2wt-MiP5b8V4T5k96bgEEznh80aI5oJbtDzbxiPkYvq-UrK_039xlsCGOJo732AwVRZyqmw68IHzarBhzryRC-UdfjvPUTjFvjZOPOzhA/s400/DSCN1484.JPG" border="0" /></a> I have fished the Grande Ronde a few times. I have always fished it on the road program, I have not floated it. I have fish this river both upstream by Boggans Oasis and Down by it's confluence with the Snake River. It is a river of different charactors, it changes as it flows away to miles from where the Wallowa joins it near Troy to it's meeting with the mighty Snake.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmqrM29K1rZlE6zx5ZkzAn9EuCBxMuaZgU75JlHV6wafMlOAlAm46oZS_NAgeJqUdYotVw-rh7nUI-JiPp6NvCtWhkfjSGS858MBEU6FkOr3MkR0Zyic3OSOKQI4zBsFqi0YtF0uNPCPW/s1600-h/DSC_0121.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266789584002253058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmqrM29K1rZlE6zx5ZkzAn9EuCBxMuaZgU75JlHV6wafMlOAlAm46oZS_NAgeJqUdYotVw-rh7nUI-JiPp6NvCtWhkfjSGS858MBEU6FkOr3MkR0Zyic3OSOKQI4zBsFqi0YtF0uNPCPW/s200/DSC_0121.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I definitely have a prefence for fishing the Ronde from Troy to Boggan's Oasis. Part of the reason for this is that it is road accessible, and the river from Boggan's down it primarily accessed by floating it. There are other reasons for my preference, the shear number of runs on the river, so many I can't imagine that they could all be named, and they can all hold fish. There don't really seem to secret spots on the Grande Ronde, you pioneer your own water and you may find fish, sometimes alot of them.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG90F6nwwpl-ixsMrINeecvWqmzXkCIhpkaKAD26-7W_jZg833kR_yLI33btkr-mIomkkeUlGpj0BQ52Xeh3vqccDXFmV3aAgOnBEDMNX8uyN_O6tNM4f8XZLx5dgROpkzz9zt621RA5dj/s1600-h/IMG_1911.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352725448022624018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG90F6nwwpl-ixsMrINeecvWqmzXkCIhpkaKAD26-7W_jZg833kR_yLI33btkr-mIomkkeUlGpj0BQ52Xeh3vqccDXFmV3aAgOnBEDMNX8uyN_O6tNM4f8XZLx5dgROpkzz9zt621RA5dj/s200/IMG_1911.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Vistas and the wildlife that the Grande Ronde canyon present <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aOyBI_2UZfYdYgzW_s8d0E3_SWieEvpbLZjUDUaAnCySzGuMQ2vpZJg46R-0Yygz5udz_NibCPRwsHd4ttYJQfzXTvb8a6plULb_QChZorESpGXcJeAZVlQHGJNt0XfiNFzPUBGDQp0O/s1600-h/DSC_0147.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266786444705985170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aOyBI_2UZfYdYgzW_s8d0E3_SWieEvpbLZjUDUaAnCySzGuMQ2vpZJg46R-0Yygz5udz_NibCPRwsHd4ttYJQfzXTvb8a6plULb_QChZorESpGXcJeAZVlQHGJNt0XfiNFzPUBGDQp0O/s200/DSC_0147.JPG" border="0" /></a>can be amazing. There are also numerous deer and Bighorn Sheep around the Ronde, as well as a great variety of birds. On my last trip I was fishing on of my favorite runs as night was setting in and from up the canyon wall, not far away, an owl began to hoot, it had a deep, low quality to the sound and sent shivers down my spine.<br /><br />On my first trip to the Boggan's area I fished a 13'3" 7wt which was fine for the size of the river, but I would have preferred a lighter rod for the diminutive size of the fish, 4-6lbs on average. In my recent trips to the Ronde I have fished either an 8110-4 Sage switch rods which fishes much smaller than an 8wt and is alot of fun on smaller rivers, or a 6126-3 Sage, really this rod can do <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrWivIKoP1CSlGQzykxghJjN1XhyWGfBt_h_GbfPm81vxiPYWBpmbYQGKPyR5dpGfLdrVwZink0RcopWpnTqhZMVwi93pUnuZOBvvrVdzBuMBGwxfTCEKHzDLnXfzrETYXh9LtNTF5HPt/s1600-h/DSCN1514.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352725458012064770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrWivIKoP1CSlGQzykxghJjN1XhyWGfBt_h_GbfPm81vxiPYWBpmbYQGKPyR5dpGfLdrVwZink0RcopWpnTqhZMVwi93pUnuZOBvvrVdzBuMBGwxfTCEKHzDLnXfzrETYXh9LtNTF5HPt/s200/DSCN1514.JPG" border="0" /></a>anything. <br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>My best luck on the Grande Ronde has been on muddlers, Specifically a brown/pumpkin colored muddler, but my experience is very limited. On the first run I fished, on my first morning fishing the area around Boggan's Oasis. I landed three steelhead all on a brown muddler, so since then I have had a disproportionate level of confidence in this fly, and I have hooked fish on it.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyb38FDyWE-DW7AdNtTV3zVFt8OJVzTJwyE6oElrEKxy3RoONXPQaKyt666sW_gyf04p06_fNdGfi_XX5KvDsDCcHCkEbrN5J9NF0uHjE8QEHMv_4smZ051MzL6LVwNHrVXKRgnrkWIJ53/s1600-h/IMG_1601.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266789590562571170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyb38FDyWE-DW7AdNtTV3zVFt8OJVzTJwyE6oElrEKxy3RoONXPQaKyt666sW_gyf04p06_fNdGfi_XX5KvDsDCcHCkEbrN5J9NF0uHjE8QEHMv_4smZ051MzL6LVwNHrVXKRgnrkWIJ53/s200/IMG_1601.JPG" border="0" /></a>There are several guides that work the Grande Ronde, such as Scott O'Donnoll, Ed Ward, and Mike McCune run Spey Water Guide Service, I know that John Farrar is also guiding the Ronde and has done so for a long time. I guess guides could be really good especially when fishing is tough and when a <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0XrlgGwfvSHRxPkOJF48uUFihRHPYoWtc6xu8xBPgh5Fw007mJ8fjub0eAuelCUwFSrJ-ugg8fIi1rfcQLY3x_-Tc4D4M8jbXmxb8IsojRj7NPdg4L0QD5Z9Ad45iexcz2maQi-DeB7V/s1600-h/DSCN1493.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266786430111300194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL0XrlgGwfvSHRxPkOJF48uUFihRHPYoWtc6xu8xBPgh5Fw007mJ8fjub0eAuelCUwFSrJ-ugg8fIi1rfcQLY3x_-Tc4D4M8jbXmxb8IsojRj7NPdg4L0QD5Z9Ad45iexcz2maQi-DeB7V/s200/DSCN1493.JPG" border="0" /></a>person wants to float the river, and I guess it is a great way to improve a persons spey/skagit casting techniques in a fun and fishy environment. I don't know that I would want to be guided on this river though, because to me the Ronde is a great river to pit your own skills against, as there are many classic runs on the river, all of which can hold fish, and there is an opportunity to find a good run on your own, on your own ability of reading the water and then going in and hooking a fish (if it all works out) it's kind of like matching the hatch without a guide for you trout guys.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352767938264773394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35abl1xF5MXf5hxT50PfWgmhoa2HxvivlNnwnSV_NcwnyVYkUNfXaAlYho1Tuv6uyfOelabQDKnZMlunuMF7hD6oSdmKY5oMDm4bZA8G5wEgDVqQ2Lz3KtqOxzgRVgkQi5TmOVPp5Dk7F/s400/DSCN1496.JPG" border="0" />Not all my fishing partners are as in love with the Grande Ronde as I am. They like the river, but they have other rivers that trrump it in their minds and hearts. For me the Ronde is just what a Summer/Fall river should be. The fish are smaller, but they are grabby and a very long way from the Ocean. They capture my imagination with there long travels and my heart with their lively and aggressive natures.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266785360667746146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41eKE6vLO5yhgi1FDNAyjNGaY86eEChKJX5JWbKygo7U2owSb-gchnsuTEtmzCYAJLgklTowxH5wNwPpmx6Pn32XGqaQJWgw4R7cTWFd0ZuHhOIxzVi6kPEPpOvYhmxhf0AniNafnjnif/s400/IMG_1596.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-15780030314959941562009-06-22T07:53:00.004-05:002009-06-22T08:16:55.918-05:00The Oconto River - Wisconsin<div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomgcOK9rgbaZvSSgSbnxgJYEVfiJCu9R30Tpt8QaaM7dtou-hOk-B9SWBD13W-zltdvQCJDnm4uncivnIXxtEJFyLRCSYSCr11KalzMBU08hzY4wjJm8w2Lvj9fJ9MTrFqgoiB1yx821x/s1600-h/DSCN0205.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350138575962836610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomgcOK9rgbaZvSSgSbnxgJYEVfiJCu9R30Tpt8QaaM7dtou-hOk-B9SWBD13W-zltdvQCJDnm4uncivnIXxtEJFyLRCSYSCr11KalzMBU08hzY4wjJm8w2Lvj9fJ9MTrFqgoiB1yx821x/s400/DSCN0205.JPG" border="0" /></a>The Oconto river is, I guess, my home river. I live in Green Bay and the Oconto is only a 20-30 minute drive depending on which water I want to fish. There is about 15 miles of river that anadromous fish can travel on the Oconto. The river enters Green Bay at the town of Oconto and the fish can travel up to the dam at Stiles.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTaF-nFCGW-sCCqoSJDRPCo6_vIpfNHrsv2UIYjB8bGKQJS6_su-4B7PtjMyVBxxwjbeaxXJWc7Bs7SQah6DiJphDNObDwwjPbO-4doNM6TTuxNecmk87PswxZ5rXXq8jhD1_tvGbR6CT/s1600-h/sept204+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350139584770249938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTaF-nFCGW-sCCqoSJDRPCo6_vIpfNHrsv2UIYjB8bGKQJS6_su-4B7PtjMyVBxxwjbeaxXJWc7Bs7SQah6DiJphDNObDwwjPbO-4doNM6TTuxNecmk87PswxZ5rXXq8jhD1_tvGbR6CT/s200/sept204+001.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Oconto used to be a fairly good steelhead river, never great in my time, but in recent years steelhead fishing on the Oconto has gone down the crapper. Lake run Brown Trout fishing has, however, steadily improved each season for a while now. It has become nearly common place to go out and get a couple of trout in a days fishing and now we even have guides working out of Tightlines Fly Shop in De Pere, WI.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqbYVj3Bk62g8oW0afs1-aJDL8H9GHjfE2ctVzRpTBllC9MSqoSG-2GDybZ1bQg_eWqczbIk5VkEc-cgbLPnzATiGe8pMDur_1XWQWO_0x4BcUMhGYdWEUi2RtJ80iwwNQp5d7wFDvphz/s1600-h/DSC_0071.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350139589958136866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqbYVj3Bk62g8oW0afs1-aJDL8H9GHjfE2ctVzRpTBllC9MSqoSG-2GDybZ1bQg_eWqczbIk5VkEc-cgbLPnzATiGe8pMDur_1XWQWO_0x4BcUMhGYdWEUi2RtJ80iwwNQp5d7wFDvphz/s200/DSC_0071.JPG" border="0" /></a>There is a good amount of water to fish up and down the river's length. The gradient of the river is pretty tame, and there are no rapids, but there is the occasional riffle and pool. The river is a good size for two handed rods and swinging flies will catch you fish.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQySp70sry7-9ig9HBOo5VWNWybZA6RvCY6tsYQO65sMU1Bgjqha4Ts7zXEHGTZSBnZ2FDcJZIgcd7GAMLvlQWvd6KwO8jd7nj4zNeV1EdFP3yV7HF83LvE4pXDcu20aBLcvHJVrHqVrHW/s1600-h/IMG_0251.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350138584579522994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQySp70sry7-9ig9HBOo5VWNWybZA6RvCY6tsYQO65sMU1Bgjqha4Ts7zXEHGTZSBnZ2FDcJZIgcd7GAMLvlQWvd6KwO8jd7nj4zNeV1EdFP3yV7HF83LvE4pXDcu20aBLcvHJVrHqVrHW/s400/IMG_0251.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7188383138283645337.post-29649522181687869502009-06-12T18:04:00.000-05:002016-06-13T09:18:56.205-05:00Clearwater River<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266646190933945986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOf517Jlb8tR5nyhwugUZMZFK1AO9xfXp1uuWO-YUsE5KkZIEb6MR0QjzFuTBT46Ox1nEXBVtEzCRryDpLgDKLB-EP6ug6mH6gNCc5ZLVP4VxayOHcP4eC0fE_zQT5FYliwsAykxtX6T5/s400/clr-snk+(35).JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" />The Clearwater River has its head waters in the Bitterroot and Clearwater mountain ranges. The river produces a run of summer steelhead that are the largest in the United States. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33iyLzBcuN_a1BKta2J-lnUyWR9Pz3VNTAfAKnb4Khv0MeTOLd6YpxhdSrpb7otiNQ1ZrSXoIKZ-jaAMtsClaAwwyE3PJBfTEV513N9J2pJqp26NsAo9oDNAh0AdbuWvDmWLC-v5lD9g9/s1600-h/DSC_0019.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351585659928176034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33iyLzBcuN_a1BKta2J-lnUyWR9Pz3VNTAfAKnb4Khv0MeTOLd6YpxhdSrpb7otiNQ1ZrSXoIKZ-jaAMtsClaAwwyE3PJBfTEV513N9J2pJqp26NsAo9oDNAh0AdbuWvDmWLC-v5lD9g9/s320/DSC_0019.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a>Unfortunately these large steelhead that were once wild and prolific, now struggle as primarily hatchery reared fish. In addition to the loss of the wild giants, there is a popular catch and kill fishery on the river for the giant hatchery fish. Though despite these issues, the Clearwater is one of my favorite rivers ( my most favorite is only an hour from it) and for good reason.<br />
<br />
I have fished the Clearwater several times. I first fished the Clearwater in 2001 in mid-September. I travelled out there with three friends from Milwaukee and we met another friend out there. On that trip we fished a few runs between Lewiston and Cherry lane. Over the following years I have been able to expand the range of water that I fish on the river. In fact on my last trip My friend BR and I fished nearly 30 different runs.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUwjJjrrnDKJ9PddEcXJWlw1XrgobZj3jA8xgvdV0am_3M1YvR0bEyXq2LtrlSVky8P2_V6bSd_6eopSKNXF79mAbssUnjqr2euqv6PA42QLKThrMrafqy4gKsIxwTBYAaJmoeIxLmU_P/s1600-h/clr-snk+(45).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351585653738679106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUwjJjrrnDKJ9PddEcXJWlw1XrgobZj3jA8xgvdV0am_3M1YvR0bEyXq2LtrlSVky8P2_V6bSd_6eopSKNXF79mAbssUnjqr2euqv6PA42QLKThrMrafqy4gKsIxwTBYAaJmoeIxLmU_P/s320/clr-snk+(45).JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
A great thing about the Clearwater is that it has both obvious runs, and runs that are hidden and must be discovered. There is currently no book or map of the river that gives a fly angler a yellow brick road to the steelhead, nor could there be. Experience is the key to success and difference between success (catching fish) and failure (not) is razor thin. Clearwater steelhead are hard to come by even for the true experts of the river system, but it is the difficulty of catching a fish that makes it so valuable. A fish in a week is all right.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD05j3qTw0kf-t8pnp2gvLqfi-2BymHMl8dj0o590m05D6zDPgWGEof_xAYEro4li7g9JtYO-he83zFcPidl0lRzo7AZDS-RndSYrVe4cOU77hQ8sjLow29Wx9Jah8btkd1XWV8Tx0nnk/s1600-h/clr-snk+(6).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266644090218528146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD05j3qTw0kf-t8pnp2gvLqfi-2BymHMl8dj0o590m05D6zDPgWGEof_xAYEro4li7g9JtYO-he83zFcPidl0lRzo7AZDS-RndSYrVe4cOU77hQ8sjLow29Wx9Jah8btkd1XWV8Tx0nnk/s200/clr-snk+(6).JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> Of course any trip to the Clearwater must include several stops at The Red Shed fly shop in Peck, ID less than a mile off the river between Lenore and Orofino. Poppy owns and runs the shop, which is a shop uniquely dedicated to Two handed/Spey fishing. Poppy not only carries the standards such as Sage, GLoomis, Rio, Airflo, etc., but also alot of the less common equipment such as Guideline, Hardy, Molin, Sarcione, and many, many more.<br />
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Flies for the Clearwater are often considered small. I have spoken to several river experts and I have heard the same thing over and over again "This is a small fly river". Now I remember that used to be what everyone said about the Deschutes, and everyone was wrong. Well, I have hooked and landed fish on the Clearwater on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrle8tkbJbh_XfCRLwiaihvIFTdRkgL-gjwzFdkR9ZeZS1SUAT49sZulQpBY-_zSzumbllTATJUKTy0pAawVvfpTbsnoiJHSwvJcVrZ3YlfMOyoaEdv8B_FKhCskpcSRAwLBsFjnugo0J/s1600-h/clr-snk+(46).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266645016522376306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrle8tkbJbh_XfCRLwiaihvIFTdRkgL-gjwzFdkR9ZeZS1SUAT49sZulQpBY-_zSzumbllTATJUKTy0pAawVvfpTbsnoiJHSwvJcVrZ3YlfMOyoaEdv8B_FKhCskpcSRAwLBsFjnugo0J/s200/clr-snk+(46).JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 133px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>flies as small a #7 but I also landed my last Clearwater steelhead on a #1/0 General Practitioner tied in black. With this said It is probably best to focus your fishing on smaller flies and use big flies as something different.<br />
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Clearwater steelhead can grow very large, as big as 20-30lbs, these big fish are known as "B" run, there is also a smaller group of fish known as "A" run steelhead these fish run 4-10lbs. this mix of fish makes tackle an interesting choice. The river is large and there are many runs that will fish with a 100' plus of line out of the guides, and you can hook fish out that far, you can also get them in closer as well, but a big cast is fun to make so why not.<br />
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I like to <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCgOkDDZlJJu2wDs7swNLSy54bfD8aC_soQMwijTA5MKwZFFHW2gT_BLLJV0GWuJbNxV6yIAOEcsy_VUFhXlkldDDW7hvbPUNBFn30sOAa926nlWOnR66avPfRpGO4n2fPBRyC23jrl98/s1600-h/clr-snk+(11).JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266644095108869394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCgOkDDZlJJu2wDs7swNLSy54bfD8aC_soQMwijTA5MKwZFFHW2gT_BLLJV0GWuJbNxV6yIAOEcsy_VUFhXlkldDDW7hvbPUNBFn30sOAa926nlWOnR66avPfRpGO4n2fPBRyC23jrl98/s200/clr-snk+(11).JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>fish with either my 13'3" rod with a Scandinavian shooting head, or I like to fish a longer rod with a 65' - 95' head line such as the Nextcast 75' or the Scientic Anglers XLT, as for rod size I have fished up to a 9wt but I think the new 7wt rods can make the A runs fun and the B runs manageable. So the three rods I will call out as awesome: the first is a Burkheimer 7133-3 (my favorite rod, for all steelhead angling), Next is the Thomas & Thomas DH1409-5 (easy for travel and very versatile), and last is the G Loomis 15' 7/8wt Greaseline (this rod is awesome, it fits the bill)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYLisM1MRaRmSYB9f82hZqnH2v_2F7LreUiD4tL7drkZJEfGu9J0P9syBJxU1WtP0UGoxzqojnYuP87Sblb_-hzdi7Ej2qYqW9klVAyjPWxfFV4Gvp_LTDKSxmHkj8iI7iHZ81KofmpD/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVYLisM1MRaRmSYB9f82hZqnH2v_2F7LreUiD4tL7drkZJEfGu9J0P9syBJxU1WtP0UGoxzqojnYuP87Sblb_-hzdi7Ej2qYqW9klVAyjPWxfFV4Gvp_LTDKSxmHkj8iI7iHZ81KofmpD/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The Cleawater river is big and the scenery changes as the it descends toward it's meeting with the Snake, 463 miles from the ocean. The river goes from a high gradient mountain forest to an arid expanse of rolling hills. <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245649140235967458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUAKNvsbd8kNXem7hTmblFRBqSRs8kAp9Q-9mF_OQYZ32fZ-TstbmSchfmjxZnKhqN4F3u-FDGzmr4O0HkRSuSKygZSqyLCj5HAXlukPqXAXLXpZADOnEVY1f0vkJFadBFTgw7tjx39_R/s400/clr-snk+(28).JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" />Stephen R. Nelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07631240280756333581noreply@blogger.com1