One For The Highlight Reel

This week, as we draw closer to our 20 year anniversary, we will be posting some humorous anecdotes about GFS Owner, Travis Duddles.  Sorry Travis... But we think that you, too, will appreciate these priceless memories that have somehow gotten "stuck" in the minds of some of your closest friends. 

This particular post comes via your good pal and fellow fly fishing angler, Steve Turner.


Travis on the flats.  Not exactly the shot we were hoping for...

And so the story goes...

The wind was unusually calm for the Yucatan this particular morning, so we decided to take advantage of the situation and fish a totally unprotected flat known by the locals as “Valencia”. This particular flat sits at the mouth of Ascension Bay and is known as THE place to go if you’re looking for large bonefish.

Travis and his guide Manuel had already anchored their panga and were out wading the flat when we arrived. As we shut down the motor and began to pole toward them, a large ray came into view and Charlie, my guide, noticed two permit following closely behind it as they often do, taking advantage of any crab, shrimp or other food-form that might be stirred up by the turbulence created as the ray swam along.

I’ve often tried to visualize the scene from Travis‘ point of view: He sees Charlie, now about 200 yards away, poling hard toward some yet unseen prey. As our boat nears the target, he watches me make a couple of false casts and then launch my fly. Then he watches as I “streeep looong an’ sloooow”, at which point he probably rightfully guesses that I’d thrown a crab pattern at a permit. He then sees the fly line come tight, the strip set followed by my frenzied effort to clear the line as it flies all around me, trying in vain (at least this time) to find something, anything to latch onto in order to short-circuit the obviously epic battle to come.

At this point he sees me raise the rod and hears the whooping and hollering - followed by a short pause - followed by more and louder hollering. He’s whooping it up right along with us, until he suddenly realizes that whatever I’ve hooked is running at breakneck-speed dead straight at him. He finally becomes cognizant of what it is we’re yelling at him - “BIG RAY - GET THE HELL OUTA THERE!!!!”

This wasn’t one of those little “gray” rays that are maybe two or three feet wide, but a much larger “eagle” ray that looked to be about the size of a Mini Cooper - and he was totally pissed at that little crab who had just latched onto his “huevos”.

From our point of view, in a millisecond Travis’ countenance went from jubilation to extreme horror. I can’t say for certain that it was he who screamed like a little girl (could’a been his guide, I guess...) but I can say that I’ve never before or since seen a man standing placidly in waist-deep water, make such an extreme lateral movement while simultaneously transforming himself into a human hydroplane, kicking up what looked to be a twelve-foot rooster tail all the way back to the safety of his panga.

My gut tells me that Travis would probably recount this tale with a slightly less macabre, slightly more macho flair, but hey, “that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it"!! And I have eye-witnesses...

Thanks for sharing Steve.  How to tell the tale!  Sound about right Travis?

Simms Headwaters Day and 1/2 Day Pack

Simms Headwaters Packs – They Got Your Back

SIMMS new Headwaters packs for your back, are perfect for day hikes, both long and short, into that special little place where the fish are. Light, comfortable and durable, they have been constructed with the fly angler in mind, but they are not so streamlined so as to leave other activities out of the loop. Hikers, mountain bikers or folks just wishing to cruise around town or to work can all take advantage of these new packs.

The new materials that they are using are pretty interesting. They claim that it is indestructible, but that could be a little bold. At any rate, it is the same type of nylon that they use in commercial airbags – so I guess that you’re covered for any of those streamside collisions you might encounter… But seriously, the stuff does feel very durable, and the packs are quite light.

There are two options:

Simms Headwaters Day Pack – For those longer excursions into changing weather conditions


Color: Sand

Simms Headwaters ½ Day Pack – Stay light -  leave a little more at home



Color: Elkhorn

Both packs are top loading, with easily accessible compartments on the hind side. The Day pack has a nice top compartment that is fleece-lined offering up some protection for the shades. It also comes complete with a lower compartment that holds a rain fly that can be pulled up and over the pack when the weather turns on you (Not included on the ½ day pack.) They both have an inner sleeve for hydration bladders and an outlet for the tubes.

The breathable padded construction, where the pack meets your spine and shoulders keeps air moving freely and keeps you from turning into a soggy mess- which is kind of nice.

The Day Pack will not only store more gear, but it will also carry up to four rod tubes on the exterior. This is where I think the ½ pack missed the boat - as there are no external rod sleeves, or even a strap that you could “jimmy rig” to hold a rod. Hmm, ok well I guess you could just carry it in hand, or leave one hanging out the top of the pack if need be. Lighter no doubt, but I can’t see that leaving off a simple sleeve or strap will render you more agile… Aerodynamic – yes. But functional – don’t think so.

Ok, aside from this new material, the greatest innovation with these packs is what they call their “Catch and Release System.” What this feature does is it allows you to fasten a chest or chest/hip pack to the back pack. There is only one “catch” (or two come to think of it). It is only compatible with the new Headwaters Chest Pack or the new Headwaters Chest/Hip Pack. (Which are both great products – you should check them out.)

There are magnetic receptors on the backside of the pack so that while you are hiking to your destination, the chest/hip pack, which will house all your tools, tippets and flies can be fastened snugly, out of the way. When you finally get down to fishing, you can remove it from the backside, and attach it to your shoulder straps in front of you so that everything in the chest pack is accessible while on the water.

It is a slick system that really gives you a nice array of options while fishing on the move. More than likely, most anglers will choose to remove the back pack once they have arrived, and just use a chest/hip pack while fishing, but that said, it’s nice to be able to carry everything comfortably to your destination. And there are times, when you’ll want to fish your way back down the trailhead to your rig-(or cover a lot of fishing ground) so staying functional, while keeping all your gear with you and accessible is where this innovation shines. Be ready to fumble a bit though, when duty calls and you got your waders on while taking full advantage of this system! Don’t wait till the last minute take care of business. It’s a quick release system, but not that quick…

Presently, we have both packs in only the Sand color.  The Elkhorn will not become available until the start of May, but we can take pre-orders on these items if you would like.

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Oregon Fishing Report 02-22-12 - Columbia River Gorge and Beyond

Our rivers are raging, but this is a good thing – not particularly for today, but for the ones that follow.

We want to catch the rivers on the drop, after a good push of water. As waters rise, fish will start to move and their emotions start to flare. Nothing raises the hormone level like a rising river. It is possibly a signal to them - that there is some sort of purpose to their journey other than merely hunkering down into a hole and playing it safe.

Often, they’ll push right by you while they are taken by this inherent need to travel. Days when the river is rising and the fish are on the move can prove difficult, as they simply don’t care- they don’t want to be interrupted by some wishful fly pattern. But sometimes, even on a rising flow, you can find them. Check the tailouts… check the soft, inside at the head of the pool. You may find one catching a breather with enough energy to spare.

Keep a close eye on the water levels. Although you may have that sweet spot level in mind, part of the fun is exploring new water that different levels can offer. A spot that resembles a highway at one flow, may often look more like a steelie motel in a higher flow. There is no greater sensation in fishing than when that “light bulb goes off” - when intuition and a flexible mind pay off. When the graph starts to fall, get out there – no matter the level. If the water is still chocolate, maybe go tie some flies. But, if there is any tint of green to the water at all, give it a shot. When the river is high, you will find most of your fish on the inside. Even a one foot deep tailout can hold fish if there is enough color in the water. Keep your sink tips light enough to keep that fly swimming in the soft flow!

We got a big, wet system on our hands, and our rivers are swallowing it up but keep a watchful eye on the graphs. By the weekend, we might start to get a little visibility back. Although most of your typical haunts may likely be out, take a walk. Follow your intuition – they are still in there, somewhere.

Scientific Anglers Monocore Shooting Line

Just when you thought that you had nailed down your final decision at the fly shop, you encounter yet another overwhelming set of options to consider. Like which running line to choose…

Make no mistake about it, this is an important decision. You want one that matches your personal preferences as a fly angler –Line thickness, texture and whether or not the line makes a sound on the way out of the guides should all be considered.

You also want one that has a high level of performance- how seamlessly it passes through the guides and how well it picks up off the water are both, very important. After all, you want to have the ability to cast the most amount of line with the least amount of effort.

Running lines that are of a slick texture and thin diameter will shoot the furthest. But, these can be difficult to hold onto during the cast. If you are not adept at pinching such a skinny and slippery line to the cork, the line will often slip out of your grip on the forward stroke, or even on the initial set up for that matter… (Some folks will actually wrap grippy tape around the top of the cork to help keep it pinned)

For most people starting out, I recommend a thicker running line that has more of a “Fly Line” feel because they are easier to hold on to. Airflo Ridge Line is a perfect example of this and it comes complete with a large welded loop on one end so that fly line heads can easily be switched out.

A growing number of advanced anglers actually use straight, heavy gauge 40lb monofilament line. Your basic Trilene spool will work – used by many conventional gear anglers to spool their entire reel. This stuff is slick, so it passes through the guides quite effortlessly. It doesn’t float as well as thicker Poly or PVC lines though and it is tougher to grip. Another thin, slick line that has properties similar to mono is Rio’s Slick Shooter. But like a few other mono style lines, it can hold memory, and at times, want to coil up on you which makes line management kind of a pain.

Then you have the braided lines. There are a lot of braid fans out there. It does make a distinct sound as it shoots. Personally, I have found that they get twisted and knotted up. It’s a bummer when you have to spend time untangling a bird’s nest in your line before every other cast! When they are new, they don’t tangle as much but they will, eventually…

I have to say, that the running line that I am most impressed with is the SA Monocore Shooting Line. Up until buying a spool of this I had tried them all and had been sticking with your basic, heavy gauge mono running line for quite a while. I was pleasantly surprised.

It goes

It floats well. It’s somewhat slick but not difficult to grip. It is memory free – doesn’t coil up on you. It doesn’t get knotted up on the cast, and it sails through the guides effortlessly. It is rigid enough to hold its integrity on the way out, but supple enough to discourage memory. It is thin, but noticeable to the hand… It doesn’t have a tendency to tangle. It’s yellow color keeps it visible in low light conditions. It seems to me, that it covers all the bases.

Love the stuff. But, there is one problem: you have to make your own loops on this line. When you fasten it to your backing you cannot use an Albright or a Nail Knot. These knots will sever the line! Also, on the business end, you cannot make a large Double Surgeon’s Loop. This too, will break. You must make loops on either end by doubling the line over and placing a series of Nail Knots (10lb Maxima) to cinch the loop. I have not tried to melt poly with a heat gun to cinch the loop on this particular line so I’m not sure on this one (Let me know if you have tried it). I like to use a needle to set the Nail Knots and then pull the knots tight with two pairs of hemostats (that you wrap the tag ends of the mono around). Make a large loop on the fly line-end so you can pass the entire head through when connecting…

So there is some initial set-up required, but once you have some sturdy loops in place, I think you’re really going to like this shooting line. This stuff goes!

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Umpqua UPG Fly Boxes

Flies for fly fishermen are often sharp, delicate, sentimental, expensive, and difficult to locate while fishing. If we just plopped them all in a vest pocket, they would all get lost in a giant, ruffed up ball of feathers and hooks. Not good for the flies, not good for us – heck, we’d likely get stabbed in the process. Well as long as there have been flies, there have been fly boxes. Some are fancy, some – not so much, but they all share one thing in common. They create a home for your bug collection.

Sometimes a bug needs to rush out of the house. Sometimes a bug needs to race back to their bunk. When they are home- they should feel secure, protected. Flies like to be in fine, presentable shape when duty calls. They don’t like to be too crowded. They need a little breathing room but that said, they like to hang out with their own kind. The place should have some sort of insurance policy protecting against flood or other natural disasters. Flies are your friends. They are there to please you, but they do demand some level of respect.

UMPQUA UPG FLY BOX

Don’t disrespect your flies. Get a nice house for your bugs. And once you do, create a happy home for your bugs! I’ll go out on a limb here and just say it: “You will catch more fish,” (I firmly believe this.)

Umpqua, long time provider of flies for fly anglers, also offers fly boxes. I guess that is comforting - it’s not like Umpqua is lawn mower manufacturer that happens to claim they know a thing or two about fly preferences. They are pretty darn nice, and they deserve a gander. The Umpqua UPG Fly Box comes in many different styles to meet your needs (and your flies’ needs). While they all share common attributes, they do come in different sizes and colors.

Here’s what I like about them:

- They all have two locking compartments (top and bottom) so as to increase comfortable fly capacity.

-Easy to open and close

-They are waterproof (even when submerged in the river)

-They are durable (drop them and see).

-See- through, plastic walls for easy fly location

-Flies fit nicely into small grooves, so as not to tear up the interior and leave residue on the hook.

-No abrupt, sharp edges

I particularly like the magnets that are included in the UPG Midge and UPG Day Tripper models. When finished with a fly, you need only drop it somewhere near the magnet for easy storage so that you can quickly seek out the next pattern.

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Save the Date

On Saturday, March 3rd we will be celebrating our 20 year anniversary at our shop in downtown Hood River, Oregon! This is an event not to be missed, because it is really a celebration of thanks to you, our customer for helping us to live out our dreams in the fly fishing community.

To show our thanks, we will have door prizes and a raffle that includes some startling gear items. To name just a couple of the raffle items: A pair of SIMMS G4 Zip Waders in your size of choice and a 9’ 5wt Winston B3x fly rod! Now we’re talkin!

Swing on by Saturday, March 3rd between the hours of 10:00am – 6:00pm at the Gorge Fly Shop, 201 Oak St. Hood River, Oregon. We can hardly wait to see you all, together, to commemorate this wonderful occasion.

This is an event you must attend with Thousand$ of Dollar$ in Prize$ and much more!

Sage 6119 TCX Switch Rod Review

This fly rod review comes to us from our good pal, Charlie Chambers.  Thanks Charlie for giving us the lowdown!

Love at First Cast...

Love... is a multidimensional thing. This crazy emotion comes in all forms and scenarios. One type of love may arise when something is new. I remember my first spey love, the Sage 6126, or “Brownie” – a great, lightweight spey rod seemingly crafted specifically for the Deschutes. But like all first loves, you take it for granted and look elsewhere. And, after one week of posting, I sold it on Ebay. After several casual river dates, with no other spey rod giving me that same feeling, I’ve found long lasting love in the Sage TCX 6119. This is no fling. We have essentially, tied the knot.

6119 TCX

The Sage TCX Switch Series includes 5 through 8 weights, all of which are 11 foot 9 inches long. Sage has placed the moniker, “switch”, to this series but realistically, they should be referred to as short spey rods or baby speys. The length would be a little unwieldy for extended one handed casting and mending. I’ve had a chance to play with a few of the models, but by far my favorite is the Sage 6119 TCX Switch- my new love. This rod really strikes a wonderful balance between size and backbone – as it still maintains enough power to throw sink tips. For floating applications, I’ve been happy with either a Scandi Compact or Airflo Rage 390gr with a 10 foot Airflo Polyleader. Been lining for sink tips with an Airflo Skagit Switch 420gr, and I can easily cast 11 feet of T-11 with a large tube fly. I have a Tibor Everglades that balances out this rod nicely as well as adding a certain bling factor.

6119 TCX - Steelhead Endorsed (Steve Turner Photo)

Sage characterizes this rod as being fast action but the key to unleashing the power is a nice slow methodical sweep into forming your “D” loop. With a nice smooth forward acceleration, the power of this rod really comes to life. If you attempt to rush any portion of the cast, the rod will not load properly and you’ll find yourself trying to muscle the rod instead of hanging on for the ride. I’ve been fortunate enough to land several nice sized steelhead on this setup and found the 6 weight to be more than up to the task. This is an extremely light weight but powerful spey rod that makes cast after cast during a long day on the river seem almost effortless. Yes, she is my new love. The Sage 6119 TXC Switch more than fills the shoes of “Old Brownie” as my go to Deschutes stick!
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Joan Rivers Goes Fly Fishing

While it's best not to laugh at another's misfortune, it's tough to quel the chuckle when you consider the breaking news out of Wyoming.  It seems that at the ripening age of 78, Joan Rivers has finally decided to give fly fishing a shot!  How wonderful a setting for this american icon to reach out and touch the natural world...  Wyoming, home to countless streams, stunning mountain ranges and hordes of sympathetic Cutthroat Trout.   Could she be our new celebrity fly fishing spokesperson?  Could her quick wit and endearing charm help drive more folks into the wet wilds of nature?  Way to go Joan!  You go girl!

Poised for success, Joan wades into the arms of the river.  She pauses, studies the various current lines.  She notices little fluttery flies dropping to the water's surface.  There, in the foam line she eyes a rising trout!  She peels out her fly line and begins to false cast, working her line out further and further until laying it down atop the fishy water.  Again, she recasts the fly.  Joan gets a wonderful drift along the converging currents.  Nothing.  No takers.  Again she casts and- Uh Oh. Oh, Oh No...

And down she goes, gulping a cool mouthful of Wyoming stream water on impact.  Like most of her endevors, Joan prefers to jump Head First into the world of fly fishing!  We, however, think she could use a few SIMMS Hardbite Boot Studs for those slick wading conditions.  Don't worry Joan, it happens to the best of us!

Unconfirmed sources at the scene tell us that after growing frustrated at the ineffectiveness of her fly, she actually dove into the water to try and tackle the fish. Hmm... maybe Noodling would be a better fit?

Oregon Fishing Report - Columbia River Gorge and Beyond

Is it finally mid-February? Hmm, how long before we ask the same question about April? Although time supposedly passes at the same rate, It’s sometimes difficult to accept this as scientific law. For hardy, winter steelhead anglers it may feel as if it “took forever” to reach this calendar page. Yup, February… we’re trending towards a world of warming water temps, more light and greater numbers of fish in our area rivers. Yes, finally. Now that we are here, tomorrow will come sooner. I don’t care what the academics say. The best days are the short days! When we’re on the water, so much can happen in a blink. It only takes a few, and there goes the day, on down the river. Let your passion speed it up. If the end of April doesn’t just appear from the depths of nowhere, you haven’t been fishing…

Opposing Forces.  Courtesy: Jeff Hickman

Reports have been mixed this past week with chrome encounters seemingly determined by which river you’re on. The Clackamas has been hot from Barton Park and below. The Sandy – fair from Dodge Park and below. The Hood: a few hook-ups here and there- mostly down low, close to the river mouth. Our rivers should sweeten their hospitality this week, as levels remain fairly steady and water temps warm.

By the way, if you feel like casting some little dry flies to hungry trout, The Deschutes has been experiencing some great Blue Wing Olive hatches lately. Look for these bugs to pop early to late afternoon, especially if there is some lingering overcast. Nymph the eddy lines and the slow portions of the pool but stay awake. Be ready to twist on the dry when the snout appears!

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

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Fish Boy Tales... So What's Up With Gabe?

Many of you were introduced to our local adolescent phenom in an earlier post titled, What's Up With Gabe?

Let us get a second helping. It is time to check back in with Fish Boy!

Well by the looks of it, Fish Boy or Gabe (semi-formal, human birth name), felt like a trip south was in order. It seems that even the steel-searching MerMan, himself, needed a reprieve from the dreary Oregon winter. With the cool, gray showers in the rearview, Fish Boy searched in earnest, the blue waters off the coast of Mexico, for connections with his distant brethren. True to his nature, he blazed a trail through the tropical landscape, marking his coordinates with clusters of dropped jaws and thrashing fins. There is an unmistakable passion in his breath, and I wonder how long before his gills find purpose beneath the surface, where his heart now beats.



Nice Find!



Cuda Time!



Yea, but mine are straighter!

 

Ya see fellas, ya just got to make it swim like a -



Here we go.  So yeah, it's just like I was saying, ya just....

Nice work Gabe!  We'd like to say that the steelhead have missed you here but upon second thought, we're not so sure...

Redington Crosswater Fly Rod/Reel Outfit – Best Value For Beginner Fly Anglers

Buying fly fishing equipment doesn’t have to shatter the piggy bank. While indicative of a certain price, the word, cheap, does not necessarily represent quality these days. Present day performance in the value fly fishing market is truly amazing! Entry level fly rods and reels today are formidable rivals to their higher priced counterparts from years past. Beginner fly fishers rejoice! There has never been a better time to enter the world of fly fishing with quality gear in hand!

So you want to go fly fishing but you are afraid of the dollars that you might spend? How about a gift for that certain person in your life whose eyes seem to glaze over whenever the subject of fishing arises? Well, let’s review what is actually needed to go fly fishing. Ok, here it is: Fly Rod, Fly Reel, Backing, Fly Line, Leader and yep, a Fly. These are the basics. All other tools or articles of gear are secondary to this core group of items.

So what if you could purchase all of these together, as part of a package? What if the price range was between $119.00 - $139.00? What if it was shipped free to your doorstep? What if all you needed to do was open up the case, pull out the tools and go fishing? If you are like me and find this to be a no brainer, you got to check out the Redington Cross Water Fly Rod Outfit.

The Redington Crosswater Outfit is the perfect intersection between price and quality for future anglers of the world.

Let’s take a look at what is included:

-The Crosswater Fly Rod is an attractive looking, medium action graphite rod complete with a comfortable cork grip and an anodized, aluminum reel seat.

-The large arbor Crosswater Reel is machined from a fairly durable graphite composite. (There is video where Northwest Redington Rep, George Cook bowls it down a neighborhood street in order to demonstrate its solid construction!) The reel also comes complete with an easy to adjust, disc drag system.

-The reel comes spooled with Rio 20lb Dacron Backing that is attached to a Rio Mainstream Fly Line

-Included is a knotless Rio Tapered Leader.

-All outfits fit nicely into an included rod/reel case.

Just add a fly and cast to the anxious snouts of hungry fish. Nice! Of course this is easier said than done, but at least you’ve got the tools to help you get there…

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Anchor vs Oars - A Tribute to Late Fishing Icon, Tom Helgeson

This post comes to us via local fish hound, Charlie Chambers of Hood River, Oregon.
Thank you Charlie for sharing this entertaining bit of history and helping us to recognize this influencial man!

Anchor vs Oars

Anchor Always Wins...

2011 marked the passing of a beloved icon of Midwest fly fishing, Tom Helgeson. He was instrumental in the growth of the sport in the mid west with his magazine and his regional fly fishing show. A number of anglers including myself owe a debt of gratitude to Tom for the development of our passion. The spark to the flame of my fly fishing ambition was from Mike in a small fly shop in St. Paul but Tom served to stoke that flame to a bonfire. Early in my obsession, I attended a weeklong fly fishing school hosted by Tom and a number of his colleagues in Montana. The week would encompass several days on private lakes catching huge stocked trout and then several days on the Missouri river fishing Trico and Caddis hatches. Mixed between the fishing were classes in all the foundations of our sport, chances to break bread, tell stories and do 12 ounce curls.

The private lakes on the ranch surrounded our accommodations. The trout in these lakes were monstrous deserving of call letters and they were very surface oriented. However, they clearly knew to cruise just beyond my casting distance which at the time was feeble. After dinner one evening, Tom asked if anyone would be interested in taking a drift boat for a quick nightcap of fishing on the nearest lake. Given the chance to narrow the distance to these triploid torpedoes, I jumped at the chance especially given that at the time, I had no idea how to row. Needless to say, the fishing was incredible given the combination of the proximity to the fish and the magic twilight. Tom and I fished till we could no longer see our fingertips. The only way to mark our location was by the light from the nearby bunkhouses.

Eventually we relented to the nighttime and elected to head back in. I sat on the bow and I savored the evening’s experience. After 15-20 minutes, I began to mentally question our progress in the forward direction. Of course, trying to be well mannered, I thought that it would be rude to question my host’s rowing abilities - just as one avoids being a backseat driver when someone else offers to take the wheel. My doubt increased until finally Tom spoke up and asked if it seemed like the bunkhouse lights were not getting any closer. I finally had confirmation of my suspicion. After a few moments to further assess the situation, Tom came to the realization that we had failed to pull up the anchor. Amazingly, with anchor pulled, we moved quickly to the shore.

At breakfast, Tom quickly let it be known that I had failed miserably as a navigator. In addition to putting me onto some of my first reel-screaming brown trout sipping in shallow water with their dorsal fins sticking out, I can thank Tom for several memories that will live with me for the rest of my life.

To this day, my ear to ear grin while amateurishly holding a brown trout is directly the result of Tom Helgeson.

Thanks, Tom.

Oregon Winter Steelhead Report 02-02-2012

The personality of the Oregon River is certainly a dynamic one, and at no other time of year is this quality more evident than during the meat of winter. I guess our rivers, especially those on the western flank of the state, exhibit a sort of bi-polar disease – excessive highs and excessive lows. As much as the river may try to maintain some sort of stability, weather yanks the ebb string and weather yanks the flow string. I have friends that, due to no fault of their own, have to take a drug called Lithium to remain steady. Our rivers are afforded no such medication when dealing with issues so dominant such as the ever-flowing Jet Stream.
 

Steve: Back in the saddle again!

So how is her mood today? Well, she is feeling steady, let’s say. Prior to this week her bi-polar charm has dominated for much of the winter. Our watersheds have seemingly been plagued by raging waters that are quickly replaced by cool, low trickles – Warm, wet systems followed by cold, high pressure systems. When this is the case, anglers should pounce on the falling flow, because levels and ideal coloration will not stick around for long.
Disclaimer*** Steelhead can be hooked in all weather and river conditions! It will always remain tough to hook one when your fly is not in the water…

Got to love that tube fly purchase!

This week our rivers are flowing in that steady, “sweet spot”. If they were medicated for the sake of our own personal whims, this is what their personality would resemble. Levels have been dropping gradually and a fairly stable pressure system is forecasted for the following week. Over the past few days, anglers have been hooking up to sprinkled pods of willing steel on the Hood, Sandy and Clackamas Rivers. Take advantage of present conditions out there. For winters like the one we are experiencing this year, days like this are a luxury.

These shots come courtesy of Steve Turner and guide, Jeff Hickman, from earlier this week on the Clackamas River.

"The Gorge"

Gorge Fly Shop Team - 541.386.6977

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