Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Austin Duddles

Showing posts with label Austin Duddles. Show all posts

Apr 23, 2020

George Cook giving Austin casting instructions

John caught Austin on camera one day while casting some new sticks from Sage

Shop Sage Fly Rods

https://www.gorgeflyshop.com/store/pc/Sale-Closeouts-c38.htm

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Sep 2, 2019

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - September 2, 2019

Trout:

Deschutes Trout: Trout fishing has stayed good all summer through out the river. Caddis are still a good bet, dries, pupa or larva will all work right now. This is also the time of year hoppers can produce good fishing along the steep banks. Cloud days will produce a variety of good mayfly hatches. Don’t forget about midges. Small flies like midges are greatly over looked on the Deschutes and can be very productive.

I have talked to a few anglers that have had some great streamer fishing this last week. That is my favorite way to fish the Deschutes. May not always produce big numbers, but it can be big fun! I like to fish my little 3 weight two hander with 10’ of T-8 sink tip along with the following flies. Sculpzillia # 8 (Olive, White or Natural), Kiwi Muddler, Precious Metal and Aqua Flies Char-mer Zonker.

Small Mountain Streams:

The smaller mountain streams have been fishing well. Places like Trout Lake Creek, Lewis River above Swift Reservoir, East Fork of the Hood, White River to name a few. Fish in these locations are small, 6” to 8” average, but they are always looking up. These waters offer great dry fly fishing. Take your light rod and have a blast.

Lakes:

Most of the lakes are still fishing well. They did not get very warm this year. Best fishing is going to be late in the day or early in the day.

Best results have been fishing an intermediate or slow sinking line with a variety of #8-10 leach patters in Black or Brown. Suspending a Balance Leach under an indicator with a floating line has been lethal to. Dry fly fishing has been good in the mid-morning or in the evening with Parachute Adams #14-16, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14-16, Black Ants #8-12
Stillwater Trout Selection

Steelhead:

Steelhead fishing in the Lower Deschutes River has been good. There has been a good push of one salt fish over the last few weeks. The White River has been spitting out mud off and on for the last week and a half, not very easy to predict from day to day. Is it fish-able when it is colored is up to you. Lots of fish have been caught on the dirty water days while many go home. Remember what we think is low to zero visibility, fish are looking up into light so they see 2 to 4 times as far as we do. Fish a bigger fly and a light sink tip and hang on. There are fish farther up river above the White if you don’t like the color of the lower river when the White is spitting out mud.

The Klickitat has fished well for those who braved the colored water this year. It has been colored up most of the summer. It will probably be like this until the mountain starts freezing.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

Smallmouth:

Smallmouth in the Columbia has still been good. You will find many of the bigger fish holding more in the deep drop offs and rock walls. These conditions do make it more important to use a boat of some type. Best results are with a variety of streamers like; Sculpins, Crayfish, Baitfish, ect. Also try jigged flies like the Jaw Breaker under a indicator on a floating line, it can be really good.

John Day is a great river the fish this time of year for smallmouth. Take a light rod and a pile of small poppers, hang on! No need to fish any sinking flies on the JD, non-stop popper action out there. It is best to float it, but there is good walking access at Cottonwood Canyon State Park. Keep in mind the river starts getting really low this time of year. So make sure your boat can handle the low water. Also keep in mind this river moves much slower so be sure to plan plenty of days to do a float.
Trav

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Aug 24, 2019

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - August 24, 2019

Austin with first steelhead and on the swing with Harris Anglers

Trout:

Once again the Deschutes has been cooler this year so good trout fishing continues. I was out steelhead fishing on the lower river Wednesday and saw several trout rising to small caddis. It was also overcast so we saw a mixed bag of mayflies . Don’t forget about midges. Small flies like midges are greatly over looked on the Deschutes and can be very productive. This is also the time that you can start fishing a small hopper with a nymph dropper.

In low light or cloudy days don’t forget streamers. That is my favorite way to fish the Deschutes. May not always produce big numbers, but it can be big fun! I like to fish my little 3 weight two hander with 10’ of T-8 sink tip along with the following flies. Sculpzillia # 8 (Olive, White or Natural), Kiwi Muddler, Precious Metal and Aqua Flies Char-mer Zonker.

Small Mountain Streams:

Lakes:

Most of the lakes are still fishing well. They did not get very warm this year. Best fishing is going to be late in the day or early in the day.

Best results have been fishing an intermediate or slow sinking line with a variety of #8-10 leach patters in Black or Brown. Suspending a Balance Leach under an indicator with a floating line has been lethal too.

Dry fly fishing has been good in the mid-morning or in the evening with Parachute Adams #14-16, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14-16, Black Ants #8-12
Stillwater Trout Selection

Steelhead:

Steelhead fishing in the Lower Deschutes River has been good. My son Austin and I ran up river from the mouth with Todd Harris of Harris Anglers Wednesday morning. The crowds were low and fishing was great. I got two to a floating line and landed one.

Austin who is 12 years old is a spey casting natural and landed his first steelhead on a fly. We stopped into Sam Sickles (Steelhead Outfitters) camp to say hi. Sounded like their fishing had also been consistent and good.

Remember numbers don’t mean much, what matters are the conditions good so you have happy fish. If the fish are happy and the crowds are low you can have very good fishing with low numbers of fish in the river.

The Klickitat has fished well for those who braved the colored water this year. It has been colored up most of the summer. It will probably be like this for the next two to three weeks.
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

Smallmouth:

Smallmouth in the Columbia has still been good. You will find many of the bigger fish holding more in the deep drop offs and rock walls. These conditions do make it more important to use a boat of some type.
Best results are with a variety of streamers like; Sculpins, Crayfish, Baitfish, ect. Also try jigged flies like the Jaw Breaker under a indicator on a floating line, it can be really good.

John Day is a great river the fish this time of year for smallmouth. Take a light rod and a pile of small poppers, hang on! No need to fish any sinking flies on the JD, non-stop popper action out there.

It is best to float it, but there is good walking access at Cottonwood Canyon State Park. Keep in mind the river starts getting really low this time of year. So make sure your boat can handle the low water. Also keep in mind this river moves much slower so be sure to plan plenty of days to do a float.
Trav

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Jul 26, 2019

Austin's John Day Summer Camp with Little Creek Outfitters

Every Year Mia and Marty Sheppard host summer camps for kids on the John Day River. Austin got to join in for the fun.

Here's Austin's report...

I was excited to hear that my parents had signed me up for a four night, five day float with Little Creek Outfitters.

Marty and Mia Sheppard are the host of the camp. This trip was for kids age 11-14. I just turned 12 earlier this summer.

We got on the river July 14 and finished on July 18.

A gear boat would leave before us in the morning and go set up camp while we were floating and fishing the river.

When we reached camp everyone settled in and we ate a great dinner. Then we would sit around camp talk, tell stories and play card games.

I believe from my personal experience this was one of my most favorite rivers to fish.
I've done a bunch of different fishing including redfishing but I liked this one the most because I was guaranteed a fish on every cast.

One of the days I was in Mia's boat rowing while she was fishing. She made a great cast and hooked the biggest bass of the trip. Everyone stopped on shore and Marty took pictures.

Most fish are not big but on a Redington Vice 5wt Fly Rod, big or small the fish are fun. I caught the smallest fish it was just over an inch. I caught it on a subsurface fly.

On the first two days I was using small black, yellow and orange poppers. The last three days I was using a subsurface fly. The subsurface fly was yellow with a white bead on the hook.

In the morning we had to cast 5 feet from the bank. After noon we were casting right up to the bank.

Smallmouth bass fishing on the john day river is fished by a lot of anglers for good reason. It's one of the best places for smallmouth bass in Oregon.

For more information contact: Mia Sheppard – Little Creek Outfitters

littlecreekoutfitters@gmail.com – 541-419-2105 www.littlecreekoutfitters.com

Austin
Gorge Fly Shop Head Guide &
Future "Bassmaster"

Jun 29, 2019

Columbia Gorge Fishing Report - 6.29.2019

Austin Duddles gettin' tight on his bass game!

Deschutes Trout:

The whole river is still fishing strong. Caddis have been the most productive for most anglers and will continue to be for the next month or so. I would fish Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis and Outrigger Caddis in tan and olive, sizes #14 - #16. For pupa I would use #16 tan or olive; Deep Six Pupa, Sparkle Pupa, Bead Head Sparkle Pupa and Prime Time Caddis Pupa.

Whenever we get the higher humidity days be ready for a good mayfly hatch like pale morning and pale evening duns. Don’t forget about midges. Small flies like midges are greatly over looked on the Deschutes and can be very productive.

In low light or cloudy days don’t forget streamers. That is my favorite way to fish the Deschutes. May not always produce big numbers, but it can be big fun! I like to fish my little 3 weight two hander with 10’ of T-8 sink tip along with the following flies. Sculpzillia # 8 (Olive, White or Natural), Kiwi Muddler, Precious Metal and Aqua Flies Char-mer Zonker.

Lakes:

Laurance Lake has been fishing well after being closed last year, well worth the trip. Lost lake is it’s usual consistent self. This is the best time to hit the small higher mountain lakes before the heat slows them down. This is a great time of year to fish our local lakes, they fish really well right now. During the hot days the carpenter ants will hatch. These ants drive fish crazy.

Best results have been fishing an intermediate or slow sinking line with a variety of #8-10 leach patters in Black or Brown. Suspending a Balance Leach under an indicator with a floating line has been lethal to. Dry fly fishing has been good in the mid-morning or in the evening with Parachute Adams #14-16, Tilt Wing Callibaetis #14-16, Black Ants #8-12
Stillwater Trout Selection

Steelhead:

We are seeing more and more early summer fish in the Klickitat. Not much pressure on them this time of year, it can be worth a trip. In about a week the Deschutes should start being productive in the lower 10 - 15 miles
Klickitat Super Slammer Kit

Smallmouth:

Smallmouth in the Columbia has been really good! You will find lots of fish in the shallows and back waters of the Columbia. Best results are with a variety of streamers like; Sculpins, Crayfish, Baitfish, ect. Also try jigged flies like the Jaw Breaker under a indicator on a floating line, it can be really good.

John Day is a great river the fish this time of year for smallmouth. Take a light rod and a pile of small poppers, hang on! No need to fish any sinking flies on the JD, non-stop popper action out there. It is best to float it, but there is good walking access at Cottonwood Canyon State Park.
Bronzeback Buster Bass Kit

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"Fly Fish the World with Us"

May 29, 2019

Does Travis Fish?

Deschutes River Redside 2019

Lately I've heard a few rumors floating around that I don't get out and fish. People saying maybe I lost my passion for fishing. Honestly I've had to ask myself; Are these rumors true? Have I lost my fishing passion?

With 27 years as small business owner of Gorge Fly Shop the question is does fishing still keep me up at night? YES, IT DOES!

My son Austin just had his 12th birthday. I asked him what he wanted and his answer was to take him fishing. At that very moment I couldn't have been more proud as a father.

Austin's 12th birthday

In the next few minutes I realized it had been a month since I last hit the water and several months had gone by since the time before that.

Where does the time go?
Father of two, I have a teenage daughter and son who is less than a year from teenage status as well. Sports, school, homework, etc. Yep! It's all real!

Being a husband and spending time with lyndsey, vacations, long weekends, etc...

Working Business owner. Go ahead call Gorge Fly Shop. I'm usually there most days of the week.

Our recent relocation
For over a year I've been consumed with the acquisition and construction of our new shop location. The hours of planning, organizing and moving cannot possibly be totaled up. The move is still ongoing with crafting work areas, stock shelves and the Big Grand Opening Party happening on June 22nd.

We now have parking, and it's free!
Are you towing your boat? Stop on by, we got room! and we dig boats!

As of this writing I am in progress building our new fly casting area, This is something we couldn't do at our old location.

Many ask us why we moved from downtown Hood River. The honest answer is we hope by removing ourselves from the masses of day to day non fisher people traffic, (which occurred daily at that location), and use our new location to be able to better focus on local anglers and free up some of our own time and energy for family and fishing.

The other problem we needed to solve is warehousing and shipping space needed for our growing e-commerce business. We now have that space as well as room to grow.

Classic Car Hobbies. Yep, it's true, I love classic cars and hot rods.

I also Hunt. Something I do with my dad, son, and daughter.

After putting a lot of thought into the rumors admittedly there is some truth to my lack of fishing however to say I've lost my passion for fishing is just a little unfair and little hurtful at the same time.

Last fall because of all the processes going on with new location Lyndsey and I had to cancel our annual redfish trip as well as our annual spring tarpon trip. A decision that still is bumming us!

Life, family business has certainly claimed my time but that doesn't mean I don't want to go fishing. As my children grow older I hope to find more time to go. I look forward to my future of fishing. My sons interest in fishing brings me great joy and as his father I wish to encourage him.

In the fly fishing industry I'm doing my best to stay current with new products and techniques. When I do get out to fish often times it's with our local guides and much of our time is spent discussing latest conditions and trends.

Giving back over the years is part of what I do as owner Gorge Fly Shop by supporting good causes like Fly Fishing Clubs, Native Fish Society, and Deschutes River Alliance and that doesn't include the support we give for local business, organizations, schools and sports. I believe in and support our local area and the future of this great sport.

So if you don't see me out there or hear about my recent fishing adventures it's not because I hung up my fly rods. My life has taken on many priorities that come before fishing. I wouldn't change the life I've made and I'm not going to apologize for it.

I have great memories of my once upon a time fishbum life, nowadays I enjoy watching my kids grow up and in the future I look forward to taking my grandchildren fishing.

Now I have a request for you. Please come out and join on June 22nd and check out our new store. We have tons of great things going on including prizes, swag, food, drink and great deals on most everything.

A Total of 10% of the days gross sales are going to get split between Deschutes River Alliance and Fly Fishing Collaborative.

Everyone is invited, so come on down and have some fun and show your support. We'll be happy to see you.

Travis