Steelhead Spey Schools

Just as the chill of winter begins to enter our bones, so does the almost Ahab like itch to land a winter steelhead. Why not learn how to do it from the best and go back to class with one of our steelhead spey schools? Mark Bachmann and crew will personally work with you on your casting providing pointers, improvements, or a full lesson from the basics the first day, and then a full guided float down the sandy the next day. Everyone can benefit from a bit of instruction. If your looking to improve your spey casting and overall understanding of what it takes to get a winter steelhead to hand then look no further than the FFS steelhead spey schools. Additonal information and dates can be viewed here: http://www.flyfishusa.com/adventure-trips/winter-steelhead-schools/winter-steelhead-schools-2015-2016.htm

Here is a video of Hawkeye and Mark doing some casting instruction during a school from years past.

The good news is that it is raining hard, and as this is being written the Sandy river is at around 2,500 cfs, and the lower Clackamas is around 6,000 cfs. Currently both rivers are off-color and full of leaves, etc. But in a couple of days both rivers will clear and there will be new, bright Cohos, Fall Chinooks and Steelhead. Be ready with your Skagit heads and M.O.W. Tips. Winter is coming.

FFS Anti Revolution Spey swivels

Spey casting requires a lot of circular motion which tends to twist line. On many spey setups with mono filament shooting line after fishing through a run or two your line has so many twists in it that it ends up tangling on itself going out the guides just about every cast. This makes casting an absolute nightmare. To combat this the anti revolution spey swivel was developed here in shop and then adopted by Rio. The anti revolution spey swivel will keep your lines untwisted and allow for smooth easy casts. We can always improve our casting but we don't need our equipment working against us.

Waterworks Lamson Guru Reels 40% off

 The Waterworks  Lamson has just recently unveiled a new and upgraded version of their classic Guru reel. Because of this we are phasing out the Gurus for the Guru 2 and we currently have all of our Guru Reels and spools on sale for 40% off and the reels come with a free Cortland 444 series line of your choosing. The Guru is a steal at 40%, with a fully sealed conical drag, and a large arbor spool to make sure your line pulls out slow and steady, and reels up quick. Best of all it's made right here in the USA. It's first come first serve so don't sleep on this hot deal!

Photo: Waterworks Lamson

October Caddis

As the temperature cools  down at the beginning of fall, the trout fishing heats up on many Northwest rivers. The chief catalyst behind this late season feeding goes by many names. The giant orange sedge, Fall Caddis, Giant Caddis, the most recognized being the October Caddis. Many regard this hatch very highly as the sheer size of these Caddis drive trout into a feeding frenzy similar a salmon fly, or Hexagenia.

The larvae of the October Caddis are stream dwellers that construct cases out of loose sand, gravel, and other organic streambed material. As they outgrow their cases they willdiscard them and build a new one. As the larvae reaches maturity it will seal its case and pupate. When the pupae emerge typically they will crawl or swim into shallow water near the bank or the bank itself for emergence, but a few of the pupae also will emerge midstream. The pupal shuck enveloping the Caddis pupa is air filled and when exposed to the decreased outside pressure of air bursts, allowing the adult insect to crawl out of the shuck. Emergence is typically a late afternoon and evening affair.

 Once emerged and in their final adult form the Caddis are generally 20-30 mm long. The fat bodies of winged adults are in colors that range from light tanish orange to yellowish orange to bright orange to burnt orange. Wings are usually gray but there are also brown tones. There are apparently a number of different sub-species in what is commonly called October Caddis.  Most belong to the family Dicosmoecus and they range from California to Alaska. Egg laying or oviposting occurs in the evening. Large females will flit across the surface briefly making contact every few seconds to deposit her eggs.

These provide some of the last productive big bug dry fly fishing before most rivers close for the season or become too cold for any real surface activity. For those anglers who view nymphing as simply not an option, It is their last real chance to fish a big fly to big trout before the stonefly hatches of the following spring.

ODFW has been working on simplifying and streamlining the angling regulations statewide. One of the proposed changes was to remove the current slot limit on the Deschutes River from the mouth to the Pelton Regulating Dam.  ODFW has decided to withdraw this proposal at this time and will retain the current slot limit regulations for 2016.

DUE TO PUBLIC OUTRAGE, THEY FINALLY THREW IN THE TOWEL. REGULATIONS WILL STAY THE SAME AS PREVIOUS YEARS:

2016 Lower Deschutes Rainbow Trout proposal:

Mouth to Pelton Reregulating Dam:

Open all year.

2 trout per day, 10 inch minimum – 13 inch maximum length.

Artificial flies and lures, except bait may be used form Sherars Falls downstream to upper trestle, (about 3 miles)

No angling from a floating device.

AS IN THE WORDS OF ONE OF OUR BETTER EDUCATED CLIENTS:

"For now, the patients appear to have returned to the asylum.   Good job getting the word out. "It was truly insane."

A Statement of Political Position:

Dear Deschutes River Allies,

Unfortunately, the rumor is true. A proposal has been made to provide harvest options for larger trout on the lower 100-miles of the Deschutes River. The slot-limit (2-trout between 10”-13”), which has been in place since 1979 is proposed to be replaced with a 2-trout limit ) minimum size of 8”). I believe the slot-limit has provided the finest public fishery in Oregon and should be retained.

As of this writing, there is nothing about this proposal on the ODFW web site.
I had to search the ODFW Commission site to find this proposal (which I understand has also been removed). This smacks of a cover-up.

The lower Deschutes is one of the few fisheries that is managed to sustain itself indefinitely. And it supports tremendous fishing pressure, which pours cubic bucks into the communities around it.

Depleting the numbers of larger trout in this proud fishery can benefit no one.

I seriously believe that one of the reasons why Oregon’s State Fishery agency is always broke, is that it sells our resources too cheap.
We don’t need more harvest to make money. We need better fisheries to bring people from other states. The Deschutes River is the best sports fishery money mill we have.

ODFW’s mandate is to protect wild fish and to provide fishing opportunity. The problem is that ODFW Staff has interpreted the word opportunity to mean harvest. They seem to never realize that once a fish is harvested, the opportunity is gone. The slot-limit bridges this gap. The Commission might consider that they may already be doing the best job that can be done here. But, if they need easier rules for dummies to understand, make it strictly catch and release.

The meeting where the decision will be made is on September 4 in of all places Seaside, Oregon (on Labor Day week). The page that just went missing also states that no one will be allowed to testify unless they register 24-hours in advance.
I think that this lack of disclosure and the decisions being made in Sea Side is a plan to railroad these proposed changes away from the ease of public participation.
It is an old Bureaucratic trick to push through rules that the majority of their constituents would not agree with.

Doubtful that this bunch of Staff and Commissioners would have the fortitude to hold this same meeting in Maupin, Madras, Bend, Portland, or Welches.

As a matter of fact, I think that these cats have already made the decision.
All that is left, is the ratification, at a public meeting.

However, I am also a believer that democracy works as long as the citizens are willing to make their government govern by the will of the people.

Whatever the road blocks, we simply have to overcome them, and be a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
We can’t let these perpetrators steel all the hard work that has been put into the Deschutes fishery.

If the proposed regulation is allowed to go through, they’ve got it for a year, by that time they will probably do ten year’s-worth of damage for someone to repair.
And who but the professionals to better do the repair?
I can feel some bastard writing an order for funding, as I am writing this.

My suspicions may be a little intense, but I feel they are well thought out.
The decision to remove the slot-limit is a bad move biologically, and it is even worse since it has been done with a limited amount of public disclosure (which may be illegal as well).
This whole approach is wrong for the Deschutes, which is beyond a doubt the best fishery in Oregon. And the best part of the slot-limit is it was done by the will of the people, and by nearly unanimous consent of those people (I know, because I was involved).

I just talked to an ODFW insider, and that person basically told me that some of the staff is strongly opposed to this regulation change, but they were told to shut up in fear of retaliation.
I think it is imperative that we get mobilized to meet these issues head on.
In this case our government has apparently run totally amuck, and we must initiate a public investigation.
Ad your thoughts and pass this on to your own circle of power.

Thank you for your support in this matter.

Fish long & prosper,

Mark Bachmann
CEO
The Fly Fishing Shop, Inc.
Phone: 1-800-266-3971
Cell: 503-781-6468
mark@flyfishusa.com
www.flyfishusa.com

Pink Body Chubby Fly
This fly is about the same size and color as some early summer stonflies and grass hoppers, none of which are pink. The Pink Chubby is on of the best all around dry trout flies for the summer of 2015. It is unsinkable and is very durable. We like to dress the wing on ours, so that it floats even longer. All trout and small mouth bass in rivers seem to like this fly. Fish it over deeper water close to the bank, and especially along heavy grass or overhanging trees. Is an especially good fly for use in a hopper/dropper set-up.                           Pink Body Chubby = 3 for $10.50

Beat the heat and UV sunburns with colorful Montana Rednecks Sun Gaiters. Getting too hot, just dip your Redneck in the cold water, ring it out and slip it over your head...nothing like cooling down the old processor to make everything more comfortable. Are you outdoors, and even the rivers and lakes are warm, remember that there is always cold water in the bottom of your cooler from melting ice...Aaaahhh!  Just as good as Buff, but less expensive!  Beautiful artwork. Montana Rednecks Sun Gaiters: Only $15.95

Mark & Patty just got back from a great fly fishing trip in Loreto, Mexico. Get a sneak peek at the July 06, 2015 Newsletter now.

Even though the water in the mountain creeks around our store is very low, catch and release fishing for native cutthroats and rainbow trout has been excellent for anglers with #2, #3, or #4 rods. Hatches include small stoneflies, PMD's & small caddis, as well as ants, beetles & bees. The best bite has been early or late in the day.

Emerald Waters of the Klamath Siskiyou

Please take the time to watch this short video. We need to protect these rivers and lands we love!

UNFORTUNATE NEWS
Dear Fellow Anglers:
The BNSF Railroad Company announced that they will be closing public access and posting NO TRESPASSING signs on their rail line in the Oak Springs Fish hatchery area on the Deschutes River.

Apparently during the salmonfy hatch this May, there were a lot of people fishing this area and some anglers were uncooperative in getting completely of the tracks when trains were approaching. Due to the public's unwillingness to move a safe distance away from train traffic and/or work crew activities, several complaints were called into BNSF headquarters from railroad employees. Obviously the concern from BNSF is public safety and of course not to be liable if anyone is injured or killed.

This means the public will NOT be allowed to walk along or cross the tracks from R/R mile marker 51 down stream to Whiter river. Railroad Law Enforcement will issue citations to those trespassing on railroad property. At this time the only way you access this area is by boat.

If you have questions, or would like to make a formal comment, you may contact BNSF (360) 418-6350.

You can and should contact ODFW's main office (503) 947-6000 and ask for the "Public Access Department". They specifically work on keeping public access open for our enjoyment.

We just got a shipment of: TFO BVK Fly Reels That Were Designed by Lefty Kreh
The story is that Lefty Kreh grew up poor, and while on the way to becomeing the world's most recognised and most beloved fly angler, he also learned the art of being thrifty. Lefty is an incredible athlete in his own right. In his youth, Lefty was so uncanny in the shooting sports that Remington Firearms Company hired him to demonstrate their rifles and shot guns in front of huge crowds. During mid-life Lefty wowed thousand of anglers at sportshows my demonsrating fly casting. In his heyday Lefty took fly casting to a dimension that has rarely, or maybe ever duplicated. Of course every tackle company wanted Lefty on their team. They rained the finest tackle the world make upon him. Kefty didn't need to design his own fly reels, but he remembered growing up poor, when fly fishing was a rich guy sport. Lefty wanted to design great tackle that average-income type people could afford. His rods and reels reflect the philosophy that everyone deserves a shot at fly fishing. The BVK Series of rods and reels are glorious in this respect. They are truely great tackle at an affordable price: $239.95 - $259.95 Get more information on the BVK Reels

We just got a shipment of  Patriot Steelhead flies. Developed by Frank Amato in the 1970's, for the last 30-years they have proven to be the go-to fly for a select group of anglers fishing for summer steelhead on both sides of the Cascades. This is a pattern that fishes well with a floating line, even in the bright sunlight: More Patriot Information

Just arrived...Alec Jackson Premium Japanese Silk Floss! This single strand silk floss comes with 18-meters wrapped on a card board cylinder, which is packaged in a small reusable zip-lock bag. This is the best packaging to keep you floss from becoming tangled or abraded while stored in your tying kit. Billed as the ultimate floss for Classic Salmon Flies, Alec Jackson Japanese Silk floss is perfect for fancy steelhead flies as well.  Click Here For Alec Jackson Silk Floss!

The Salmonfly Hatch is lingering on in the Warm Springs to Trout Creek area of the Deschutes River. With the cooler weather this week,   they may be around for another week, or more. Even in areas where no Salmonflies are visible, the trout are still looking up for the big bugs. Flies that look like Salmonflies or Golden Stones are productive when fished under overhanging trees and in deeper water along the tall grass. The best pattern is the CDC Salmonfly invented by Mr. Rene Harrop.

Ants Are Flying

A dense hatch of Carpenter Ant Queens has hit the streams and lakes on the west side of the Cascade Mountains. The Trout are looking for them. This hatch will continue to happen at low elevations as the air temperatures rise, after the recent cooling trend subsides, then the flights will continue at higher elevations as summer progresses. Finally these hatches/flights will cease during August at the highest elevations. Carpenter And Queen flies will staple patterns for most of the early summer. There are hundreds of different kinds of ants, and each will have its own winged queen flight. It pays to be prepared with a selection of sizes of winged ant fly patterns in your fly box.
 Click for effective ant flies

'Mt Hood Country' - guide to fishing around Mt. Hood

We often get out-of-towners wanting to fish but not knowing what is around and what to go for. 'Fishing Mount Hood Country' is invariably the first thing we bring out from behind and open up on the counter. Almost 95% of customers purchase this book without any hesitation. We have sold every batch we have gotten from the publisher even though this is a newly published book for 2015.

Now here is the more interesting part. We are starting to see customers from the local Portland area also keying on this book as a way to broaden their fishing horizons. There are 40 fisheries covered here, a mix of lakes and rivers.

Fishing Mount Hood Country by Gary Lewis and Robert H. Campbell, Gary Lewis Outdoors, copyright 2015, $24.95, 128 pages, ISBN: 978-0-9761244-6-7. Available on the web at http://www.flyfishinginsidernewsletter.com/020915/

Trillium Lake- a nearby gem

I was having lunch with a friend, a native to Portland, and he shared with me the Trillium flower is the Lotus flower of the State of Oregon. It starts out White when first bloomed, turning into Purple later.

Trillium is a majestic lake, as evidenced in the picture above. In the words of a yelp reviewer, 'Trillium Lake feeds the fish and your humanity'.

Huh.

Perhaps we cast -so as to hook- not only for fish but for our humanity as well. And there is no better place to ponder what our offering would bring than in the environs such as above. A Sonar Echo of ourselves with Nature becoming our reflection. And perhaps that is why a tight line is an animated stirring of a fish on one end, and on the other end, a stirring of our vitality pushing through the defensive layers we need to negotiate the trappings of living.

Get out there, for Nature has a soul calling that shakes us up in a lasting, and always good way. Here is another pic from the yelp website to help this pondering:

Game Changer

The articulation behind this fly is so natural it cannot help but look exactly like a fleeing bait fish when viewed from both the angler and the predator fish.  You simply have to see it for yourself. The tail action is unbelievable.

Not only does it swim naturally, but it has the volume and the fast-water-shedding properties for easy casting something this bulky.

For more on fish skull fly tying components, click here: Fish Skull

White Bubble drift

White Bubble Nymphing Technique with Pete Erickson from Rajeff Sports on Vimeo.

It has been said that Trout obtain 90% of their bio mass subsurface. And there is no more effective method than Czech nymphing.

Here is a video of Pete Erickson who was instrumental in designing the Echo Shadow rods. I got to play with the 10'6" 4 weight, and it is pliant enough in the right section of the rod to throw shooting mends with ease while keeping the fly drift in the slot.

Czech nymphing is more of a high stick approach, and in this video, a leading of the tip slightly faster than the foam line.  Pete does a great job explaining in this video.

Trout season in upon us with the early warming.

Tight lines, Czech nymphing style.

For more on Echo's Shadow rods, click here: Echo Shadow

'The Reality of the Situation'

OK, you are probably scratching your head wondering what this title suggests. But that was the title given to us by the current long distance Spey caster, Travis Johnson.

I ran into Travis this week and asked him whether he had started practicing for the Long Distance Competition April 17-19. He mentioned he needed "Practice Perfectly gets me Perfect Practice", cutting down his time to get ready.

Are you in the place where you are Practicing Perfectly that gets you Perfect Practice? If time is a premium and you would like to see more dividends, consider checking out the Instructors and Schools offered by FFS. For more info on schools, click here: Schools. For private or semi private lessons, click here: Private Lessons and call us directly at 503 622 4607.

Incidentally, Travis will be presenting at the 2015 Sandy River Spey Clave on Saturday from 10:30 to 11am. He is definitely a big crowd attraction, so make sure you get there early enough to get a visible spot.

You might wonder what does long distance casting have to do with average fishing situations. My recent entry into this sport has made me a better caster and student of the sport. The smallest accuracy and distance killing flaw -- normally undetectable in normal casting-- is greatly magnified in distance casting, making it glaring enough to work on fixing it. And this repair transfers down to our normal mortal cast. Maybe this is the 'Reality of the Situation' Travis could be talking about. But Travis keeps his cards close, so there is no telling.

Also, check out the video above capturing one of his practice cast. That is Perfect Practice to me, and hopefully to you as well.

Continuing Education- Sage Demo Day

Yes, this time of the year is warm enough that the vendors come out and let us play with their cache of rods, some we all have heard of, and then there are some we will be hearing of during their traditional new product roll out cycle.

The whole Fly Fishing Shop staff came out on such glorious day on the Sandy to extend their hands-on experience with Sage's rod lineup. Although most line setups revolved around Skagit, there were also Scandi, Long Belly, Mid Belly, and Switch nymphing lines. We played around with rods from 11' all the way to 15'.

It was unanimous we thought one prototype rod coming out in August stood out as the new kid in the block we all will enjoy and feel comfortable having in our quiver.

Thanks George Cook and Eric Johnson from Sage for being our Continuing Education facilitators. For more on Sage Rods, click here: Sage Rods.

Klaus Frimor presenting at the Sandy River Spey Clave 2015

Jedi with the Rod- that is how Klaus likes to work his magic. Klaus will be presenting at the Sandy River Spey Clave as one of many luminaries in our solid pack line up of presenters. For more on the clave, click here: Sandy River Spey Clave.

Salmon Fly Hatch on the Deschutes

All this warmer weather has gotten us thinking about an early Salmon Fly hatch on the Deschutes. Todd Moen's Catch Magazine video above captures so much of the anticipation that is stirring in us.

For more information on getting the right fly and equipment, click here to read more about the Deschutes river and the Redside Trout: Deschutes River

Volutionary Trapping at Mt. Hood Rivers

Here is a Volutionary Fish Trap that looks like a Spaceship on the local rivers around here. It is great to see the Passion in the Conservation Officers and to get some insight what they are doing to protect the next generation with juvenile count.

For more of our local fisheries The Fly Fishing Shop has access to, click here: Our Waters

Upcoming 2015 Sandy River Spey Clave

With this dry and warm winter, it is starting to feel like the Sandy River Spey Clave kind of weather. JC here at the shop has corralled our first draft of presenters, and will publish the agenda on line shortly. With the attendance increasing every year since its inception in 2000, with last year having over 1000 in attendance, this year is going to be another great attendance event.

For more updates, check here from time to time: 2015 Sandy River Spey Clave.