Miscellaneous Rants and Thoughts

For something different that I would comment briefly on a few things that are going on in my angling life.
It is very early in the morning and so all of these "pearls of wisdom" might sound profound to my sleep deprived mind right now but after a restful sleep I may delete some of them but maybe not.

River access is a hot button topic here in the Pacific Northwest but very few really take the time to understand where landowners are coming from.
One of my steelhead runs is being closed because some knucklehead slipped and fell along the river bank and then tried to sue the landowner! Is it any wonder why river access is lost?

I had an embarrassing senior moment yesterday at Costco. Without boring you folks with the details I found myself apologizing to the checkout lady for my "brain fart"
What makes this troubling is it's just another sign of getting old and I do not enjoy getting old.However with age comes wisdom and experience and that is a plus. Too bad that I could not have been this smart when I was younger. Of course when I was younger I thought I knew it all....such a conundrum!


I wonder why the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife even bothers with the charade that they care about wild salmon,trout and steelhead. They continue to defy common sense with their mismanagement of Oregon's coldwater fisheries. The newest victim of ODFW is the fall chinook runs of the north coast. Once a trophy salmon fishery these north coast leviathans are disappearing at an alarming rate and there is talk of some fall closures.....more later on this.

With so much strife in the country these days I am leaning on fly fishing more and more as solace and escape from all of the troubles in the world.
It's like I get into a time lock where everything stands still except my fly and the river. The worries and anxiety melt away, at least temporarily. Over the years I have enjoyed many styles of fishing but fly fishing is the only one that is truly a sedative for the soul.

When faced with the possibility of some coastal salmon closures one would think that the logical thing to do is rally behind the concept of saving fish so they can spawn. Not so with north coast bait guides! They are thinking only of their own self preservation. Sure they will give lip service to protecting these fish but when push comes to shove it's always about them and their pocketbook. If these mercenaries and carpetbaggers really cared they would maybe support things like reduced bag limits and bait bans.

It's cool to write about the beauty of a river and marvel at the wild steelhead spawning in it. To me at least I feel compelled to do as much as I can to make sure that these wonders are here for future generations. What I find puzzling is how some can write flowery prose about the joy of the outdoors as they walk along their own private piece of paradise but when action to preserve this beauty is required they are absent and nonchalant....go figure.

So tomorrow I will once again journey to the Deschutes. Hopefully the wind will have mercy on me but I am not counting on it. It doesn't matter though and I will be grateful just to be there. I am finding that contentment in our life does not always have to have tangible results. Happiness and success can be found in the simplest of things and with the Deschutes the contentment is all around you. Fish? yeah they are a nice bonus but so is finding a nice piece of quartz along the river bank or seeing a bird that you have not seen before. I like red wing black birds that perch among the sage and juniper of the Deschutes and am happy to see one every trip. I would love to spot a rattler tomorrow but at a safe distance of course.
Contentment is where you find it. You set the bar too high and expect some kind of holy experience every time you walk the river then you are more often than not going to be disappointed.
Look to the small things to make your trip a success.

Raising the Bar on Conservation

Last Steelhead of the Winter


Are those of you that are wild fish friendly doing all you can to help save them?
I know I'm not and there are some things I can do in my small way to do more for the wild salmon, trout and steelhead in my region of the world.
I am concerned about what effect the upcoming cutthroat harvest will have on pre-smolt wild salmon and steelhead. The 8" minimum that ODFW will allow this season will have an impact on these juveniles and ODFW has done virtually nothing to educate Joe Powerbait on how to tell the difference between trout and smolt. I am pretty sure a lot of smolt will be killed because they will be mistaken for trout.
I am going to spend some days in the Tillamook watershed helping the fishing public identify the difference between cutthroat trout and wild smolt.
Secondly I am also concerned what the ravenously hungry hatchery steelhead smolt, that are released in sizes up to 12",are eating. I and others more learned than myself are pretty sure that they are feasting on out of gravel wild salmon and steelhead fry.
I intend to sample what these large hatchery smolt have in their stomachs. I will report what I find.
There is one other small thing I intend to do this spring and summer with coastal cutthroat trout. I am removing the points on some of my flies! You might think this drastic or silly or whatever but think about it for a second.
I have caught and released thousands of cutthroat trout through the years. I've caught on dry flies, streamers and soft hackles and in all sizes! I enjoy the take more than anything and the actual landing of these trout is not that big of a deal. If I get a long line releases and never have to handle the fish then so much the better. I'm not saying that I will do this with all of my cutthroat trout fly fishing this year but I will certainly do it at times when perhaps the water is a bit too warm or, like my friend Moon, when trying out a new pattern.
I love the take by a trout on a dry fly so what better to enjoy it even more without having to handle the fish?
I've heard of of anglers doing this and I think I will give it a try.
I will also be doing some wild steelhead redd counts for Native Fish Society hopefully on the Mollala river and other rivers in hopes of finding out how many wild steelhead are spawning.
So what are some of your plans to help wild fish?

Moon the Elitist

I want to share with you a great fishing story written by my friend Moon.
Moon is one of those larger than life characters we meet along the way but he is an excellent fly fisherman and can spin a great fishing yarn. His lovely and long suffering wife Monica is actually the brains of the family and refers to herself as "Keeper of the Moon" Monica is also a first rate fly tyer and world class caster.
Enjoy!


There are so many stories involved into what happened today…. I don’t know where to start. So I’ll just start with the ending and work from there.
It was a good day, a big hatch and a lot of risers…. But, that’s not the ending I want to tell you about. The ending went like this….
I’m casting a dry on a long fine leader to rising trout when I hear Boomer the wonder dog start barking…. I look back towards the bank and see a guy coming down the path. He waves in a friendly manner so I wave back and start for the river bank to see what’s up.
He say’s – “are you Moon???” and I think, oh crap! – but I’m bigger than he is so I say, yeah – that’s me…. and he says – “I’m so and so. I lurk on Westfly and I have been watching you from the road, I just wanted to tell you I love your stories”… and I thought, well all right – here’s a guy who obviously comes from good breeding and has a fine intellect… unlike the guys I fish with most of the time. He says, “That’s a great hatch – but your sure missing a lot of takes”. And I say yeah, but I cut the hook off my fly and am just fishing for risers right now… and he said “WHAT????” so I showed him my fly and where I had cut the hook off and before I could say anything else he just sort of stared at me and blurted out – “DAMN, you are hard core” and walked away shaking his head as he went…
So as most of you know, the fishing has been hit or miss with the cold water this year… and for those of us who prefer to fish proper, the cold water has played hell with our averages. And when I do get it right, it’s just not quite right either… oh sure I’ll take a fish or three, but – I should be doing a bit better I think…. something has seemed amiss all year this year. So Monica and I have had some rip roaring discussions over her fly’s and my abilities… the neighbors think we hate one another, and the cops think were killing one another, but – it’s just shop talk. So after our last fight, er – I mean discussion over the proper fly and its size, color and shape. She tied me up a half dozen different prototypes to take and fish. (I guess our biggest problem is our two different opinions on just what a doo-hickey, or thingamajigger is and what color and or size it should be…) She says, oh you want more thoraxes and I say – yeah, fry me up a mess of that just as soon as you change the do-hickey on that fly….. Anyway – it turns out, we were both right. My design and her colors was the ticket today…
So I ran up the road to a popular turn out where the fish will rise, but have seen enough pressure by the un-holy heathens to be a bit on the discriminative side when it comes to flys and so it is a good proving ground for new patterns or colors. I also find a longer, finer leader helps too.
I ran into the first lurker while gearing up on the road…. DAMN DIRTY LURKERS…. Anyway I geared up and went on down the trail. I put the first fly on and waited. It wasn’t long and the bugs started to spit and sputter and the fish were soon rising. I made seven casts with that new fly, took five trout and missed another. WELLLLLLLLLlllllllllllllllllllll okie dokie then, that’s a winner as I cut it off and put it away for her to tie off of with out us having to get into another fight, er – I mean discussion about do-hickeys and whatchamacallits…. Then I tied on another almost identical fly, but with a darker thingamajib and a bigger do-hickey. Nada, not even a refusal…. So I cut that one off and proceeded through the other four prototypes. Out of the six, one was a smashing hit, one was okay and another took a couple more - but three where dismal failures…. I’m giving those three to Erock. He’s a heathen anyway, plus – I think he’s got French Canadian bloodlines…. I suspect those N.E. yankees all have a Mounty in the woodpile somewhere….
So the fish are going off…. Man I want to fish that first fly. So I convince myself I should try it just one more time and tie it back on. Yup, first cast and I’m into a good fish. After landing and releasing said fish, I’m thinking – damn it moon. You’re going to *%&# around and lose this fly…. and that’s when it hit me. So I said to myself – self, why don’t you just cut the hook off at the bend and fish for a rise only till momma can get more of these tied up with out another fight, er – I mean discussion… and so that’s what I did. I was having a hell of a time, but – in the end. It was just more mopeds and Keystone Lights than I prefer. Now I am a elitist, I do fish proper and all – but, my hypocrisy only goes so far and the other half of the equation is still redneck after all.
And that my friends is another true story of the kind of crap that happens to me.

Let Me Make This Perfectly Clear....I Don't Care!

Lately I've gotten a few comments from "Mr.Anonymous" about the old spring chinook allocation battle between the sports anglers and the gill netters. Since someone apparently wants my input I thought I would dredge this up from the archives and update it a bit.
Mr.Anonymous or whomever you are I just want you to know that I will not publish your comments on allocation and why is that? Read on friend.
I just don't care! Not getting what you think is your share of fish? Your favorite lake didn't get stocked full of pellet head trout? Your favorite flavor of PowerBait is out of stock? Hey, I just don't care!
I mean why should I? You don't care that wild fish populations are in the toilet. You don't care enough to show up to a regional ODFW public meeting that is less than 10 minutes from your home. You don't care if habitat and spawning redds are destroyed. You see it's that selfishness thing again isn't it?

It never ceases to amaze how apathetic and complacent we have become. Just you watch though, how amazingly motivated people become when they think something is going to be taken away from them...self righteous indignation runs rampant.
We see it in state and federal government too! Take a ride to some of the upper coastal rivers and see the garbage and illegal camping going on! The US Forest Service that owns that land pretty much ignores it. An employee that is off duty will not bother. In other words they don't care.
My efforts are towards conservation of our wild resources. I will not make an effort to see that sports anglers get more hatchery fish and why should I? With few exceptions I see this group as a lazy and apathetic group of whiners. Fighting amongst themselves while their perceived "enemies" kick their selfish asses time after time when it comes to allocation. I care about wild fish and their habitat and I care deeply but I could not care less about who get the largest share of the hatchery fish pie.
Folks we are in crisis mode as far as conservation is concerned! Think it's unimportant? Take the time to find out that there has been a sixty percent drop-off in wild winter steelhead redds. Still don't care huh? Then you are beyond help.
So if this latest rant offends you? Hey guess what? I don't care.

I Was Wrong!

Yep! Wrong as wrong can be as a matter of fact. What was I wrong about you are probably thinking? Is he admitting he was wrong about indicators some of you might be thinking? Nope! Okay then it might be his support of President Obama? Hell no!
What I am admitting is that I was wrong about was stupidly proclaiming that mastering spey casting was easier than mastering single hand casting. Boy was I ever wrong.

This 3-disc instructional DVD by Rio is perhaps the best one out there. It features the big three (McCune. O'Donnell, Ed Ward) of Skagit style casting and the big kahuna of the spey world Simon Gawesworth.

I am a pretty good single hand caster and that is because I've been doing it for over 25 years...lots of practice.
Two handed spey casting is a whole different animal. There are a lot of variables and anchor points and so on that don't come into play with the single hand casting. I mastered the double haul and roll cast fairly quickly. The double spey and circle spey are still driving me nuts to the point of frustration sometimes.
Yesterday I encountered my two handed guru and one of the fathers of Skagit style spey casting Mike McCune. Mike is a master of the two handed rod and is without question one of the top steelhead fly fishermen in the world.
He along with Scott O'Donnell and Ed Ward are without peers when it comes to this stuff.
As he he floated by me he said just four words "Slow the f**k down" and I knew exactly what he was talking about.
I was feeling kind of cocky awhile back but it seems like I've plateaued and have digressed in fact.
Of course frustration has set in and I'm glad winter steelheading is over. I am going to do what I should have done in the first place and that is pay for a couple of lessons. Developing bad habits is an easy thing to do when casting a two handed rod especially if you try to teach yourself. I have done that so it's time to get straightened out and get rid of those bad habits and not cause "river pollution" as McCune so aptly describes poor two handed casting.
As I look forward to trout season and the spey rods get put away for a few months I will continue to work at my casting. Any secrets some of you experts can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Why Fly Fishing?

What is it about fly fishing that attracts you? For me there is a mystery about fly fishing that I just can't explain. The solitude I find where I am able to "escape" for the moment and my only worries are whether I'll have any wind knots to deal with.The satisfaction of laying your line out perfectly and the anticipation of a fish rising to a dry fly. The screaming of your fly reel when a steelhead takes line off of it and the graceful beauty of a well executed roll cast.The famous fly fishermen from the past couldn't explain it either. Why is one drawn to this method when there are so many other more productive methods out there for taking fish? We fly fishers often maligned by others as being "elitists" that's is unfortunate because in my years of angling I've found just as many elitists among the various other styles of fishing. Maybe it's the satisfied look on our faces after a day on the river that some cannot understand.In a world of conspicuous consumption I am happy to be able to just hike up the Deschutes canyon for a few hours and maybe see three or four others along the way.The rewards are many for me in fly fishing but they do not revolve around catching a bunch of fish. Maybe that's the mystery Those of you that know what I am talking about can relate....you've been there.
I like to reach out to the traditions and lore of fly fishing. Read any book by Haig-Brown or Arnold Gingrich and see if it does not move you.
Someone once said the if fishing is a religion then fly fishing must be high church. The sermon is the sounds of the river and the choir is the line as it it leaves your reel at high speed when you've hooked a hot trout.I've often marvelled at the quiet of the river when I am pursuing cutthroat trout on some coastal reach. I almost always return from a day of fly fishing empty handed but that certainly is not the measure of a successful trip.A successful day of fishing to me is the absolute satisfaction of achieving what I set out to do on the river.
It's futile to explain this to those who do not fly fish and even to some that do.
Being a successful fly fisherman is a personal thing to me. I feel I am in that I get the reward that I seek.So many of us became fly fishermen after many years of conventional angling. Why did we quit fishing that way? For me, at least, it was a desire to go beyond catching a bunch of fish. I did that! All sizes and all shapes as a matter of fact so to me fly fishing was just a natural progression to expand my enjoyment of the outdoors.
Putting it all in retrospect I can answer why I fly fish as simply this! At my age there is not much that gives me as much pleasure than a trout rising to a dry fly and to my way of thinking that is just part of the whole joy of fly fishing.
We all have our reasons...what is yours?

Tying a Size 20 Dry Fly? Piece of Cake!

Yours truly on the Kilchis River

I thought that tying a size 20 dry fly was about as likely for this old fly fisherman as scoring with Angelina Jolie With the help of a lighted magnifying glass and ultra fine 8/0 uni-thread and, of course, a simple pattern I pulled it off.
I really love fishing a small dry more than any type of fly fishing. There is just something about witnessing a gentle slurp or a violent surface explosion by a trout that quickens the pulse like nothing else in this angling endeavour. It makes it even more enjoyable if the fly the fish are after is one that comes from your own vise.
I was fishing an evening caddis hatch on the Deschutes a few years ago when I tucked my rod under my arm to light my pipe. No sooner had I gotten my bowl going a big Deschutes redside decided my size 14 winged caddis imitation was to his liking and he jumped all over it while I stumbled around and collected my wits while this trout did a huge mid river cartwheel.
I did end up landing it and it was shortly thereafter that a late spring storm put the river out for the rest of my stay but it was one of those unforgettable trout that one encounters throughout his angling life.
To me it just does not get more basic than fishing a dry. You have the line leader and fly attached to your rod and reel...the rest is up to you!
Selective trout? Maybe but I doubt that the trout have the ability to actually decide what to feed on. Maybe it's that they are full of baetis spinners and want a trico or maybe it's a hexagenia is what they are after so who knows? All I know is the absolute angling pleasure that comes from a fly fishing plan that all comes together.
Whether it be a large Deschutes redside or a smallish coastal cutthroat I doubt that there are many anglers who say that they do not like the surface action.
So with another winter steelhead season almost behind me it's time to think trout. The first trip east to the Deschutes will come soon and while I would guess the early spring winds will make it a less than fruitful journey it's just being there that counts.
It's been a long cold winter and these old bones are ready for some sun and the hope that a trout will rise to my size 20 creation.
Here is wishing all of you "trout nuts" an enjoyable season. Whether you are from my neck of the woods or some place where the "troot grow as big as your arm" good luck to you all!

Dammit! Protect the Metolius For Crying Out Loud!

I've written more than a few time about the way I feel about the Metolius river on this blog before. It's a magical and wonderful place that goes beyond fly fishing and into an almost spiritual emotion concerning it.
Beautiful, mysterious and breathtaking are just some of the adjectives one could use when looking upon this river and it's surrounding area.
There are those soulless folks, who see everything in dollars and cents, that only see it as an area ripe for development. They see golf courses, day spas and destination resorts. They see potential tourism money to be made at the expense of all that is right and great about the Metolius.
In the state of Oregon I can only liken the North Umpqua as a place that would rival the Metolius in it's inspirational beauty. Why inspirational you say? Go there and find out.
Walk along the river amid it's Ponderosa pines and take in all that this area offers. Like I said before it goes beyond fishing and in fact I can think of no place I've trout fished in this state where it's harder to hook a fish with a fly. The endangered bull trout populations have found refuge in the Metolius and it's nothing to look into a pool and spot bull trout over 20 inches.
The Metolius is just one of those places you want to be.
There is legislation to protect this area and it comes under Oregon House Bill 3100.
Those of you that have been to the Metolius and have enjoyed the beauty of the Metolius and it's area please let your feelings be known. If you live in Oregon contact you representative and urge their support for HB3100...it's just that important.

Why This Picture Should Piss You Off

Yes I know another dead wild steelhead! This one from the Snoqualmie river in Washington. The blood coming from the gills and mouth spells certain death for this fish.
So here is the deal. I will not publish any comments to this blog that support killing wild salmonids anymore. Some can call it censorship but this is my blog and I support wild fish and so that is the way it is. You will have to show your ignorance and selfishness concerning wild salmonids elsewhere because it won't be published here.
I will continue to publish pictures like the one above and continue to rant about the demise of our native steelhead, trout and salmon populations.
You want to advocate the killing wild fish? Go elsewhere to do it because you are not welcome here.
There is not much else to say except this is just another example of the ignorance that is still out there concerning wild steelhead.
It may sound silly but I mourn the death of this steelhead and words cannot adequately describe the contempt I have for the jerk who killed it.

The State of Steelhead

The State of Steelhead
Article Courtesy of Wild Steelhead Coalition

The article attached to the link above will alarm you or at least it should alarm you. Obviously the state of wild steelhead is dire...please get involved if wild fish mean anything to you.

The Trout Bum

I recently attended a fly fishing film festival at movie theatre/beer hall in Portland. The festival featured short clips of various fly fishing destinations like Belize, British Columbia,Mongolia and Kamchatka and all in all it was enjoyable to watch.
While it was fun to see these fantastic locations and dreamed about places I have to wonder if this trout bum phenomena is a good thing for our sport and for wild fish in general.
There was one clip where the anglers had to be helicoptered into a remote river in order to fish for huge rainbows and I wondered if there any place in the world where wild fish are left alone anymore? Is there any place where man cannot reach them?
I also wonder if the anglers in these films who travel to these exotic locales reflect what is best about fly fishing? The image of these guys holding a trophy trout out of the water with their rod firmly gripped in their teeth is kind of repulsive to me.
Some of you might think I am just envious of these anglers and them getting a chance to fish where most other guys only dream of but I'm really not.
I love my fly fishing world and am satisfied to fish where I am. The pursuit of steelhead and trout here in the Pacific Northwest is a very satisfying experience for me. Trying to preserve the wild salmonids of this region provides enough of a challenge and chance at gratification as I want.
When I abandoned my bait and gear angling life in favor of fly fishing only, it was for a reason. That reason is a lot more than having my grinning face plastered all over the internet with my latest conquests. I got into fly fishing for the sheer joy of it and I dearly love every tradition from the past that goes along with it.
No doubt there are millions of fly fishermen out there that feel the same way.
Sorry but the whirlwind "Endless Summer" fly fishing movies are nothing more than eye candy and something I would not pursue. The young guys in these films are not someone I envy as they place their indicators on their line and have at it.
Call me cynical if you want but to my way of thing this type of fishing over kill flies in the face of tradition and the meaning of why I travel this road.
If someone offered to pay my way to New Zealand to fish for those big browns and rainbows I would go...who wouldn't? The point I am trying to make is I think this type of search and destroy barn storming throughout the world is, in some cases, obscene and over indulgent.
The Deschutes or the Metolius rivers are about as exotic as I care to get at this stage of my life and the joy of a nicely cast dry fly is reward enough. Big numbers and lots of ego photos are fine for some but not for this old gent.

And All Is Right With the World

We will be turning our clocks ahead this weekend and that means an extra hour of daylight! Deschutes here I come with my March Browns in hand!
Spring is starting to tease us a bit here in the Pacific Northwest with some 60 degree days.
Ah spring!
You know what though? None of that stuff matters!
It can blizzard for another damn month as far as I'm concerned because
MANNY RE-SIGNED WITH THE DODGERS!!!!!!!!!
NL West watch the hell out because we will have Manny being Manny for at least another season and hopefully two.

PS- I was just joking about not caring about those other things.....

The Quest Continues

I am on an epic quest friends. I'm talking about a quest of monumental proportions and while I've flirted with achieving this quest a few times it is still elusive.
So what quest am I talking about?
The quest to consistently hook winter steelhead swinging a fly! I've hooked a couple of fish this winter but alas they were just fleeting flirtations of what is possible.
I could cop out and go the indicator route but I would rather be boiled in a molten concoction of Genke and Mucillin before doing that. I am not passing judgment on those that fish this way but my bobber days are long past me.
Like I said I have flirted with success this winter but it remains just out of my reach and here is an example.
Last Friday I had a golden opportunity with two of the best steelhead fly fishermen in the Pacific Northwest.Mike McCune, who is one of the pioneers of Skagit casting techniques, was one of them.
Well to make a long story short I got sick and had to beg off and my two pals both hooked winter steelhead. Would I have gotten one? Who knows but these two would have put me into areas where steelhead lurk.
My spey rod abilities are mostly self taught so that means I had a fool for a teacher. I had to basically learn from scratch about all the in's and out's of this pursuit.
I would liken it to a man wandering aimlessly through the desert with no direction and no clue on how to even begin to find his way. I've gone through a plethora of rods and lines and until I hooked up with Mike and John Bracke I had seriously considered not fly fishing for steelhead in the winter.
Yeah I can catch summer runs but the winter steelhead are a completely different game and after achieving all I could fishing for steelhead with conventional gear I had to pursue these greatest of all fresh water game fish and do it swinging a fly with a spey rod.
So any of you that have any secret advice that while put me over the top in this cold winter game it would be greatly appreciated.
I will keep you all posted as quest progresses and any success that I have as I know you will be on the edge of your seats in breathless anticipation.

Makes Me Want To Puke!!!!

Look at this picture and if you are not upset to the point of outrage then you don't care about wild steelhead and their well being!

This egomaniac asshole claimed that this wild steelhead had to be killed because it was bleeding profusely from the gills.....BULLSHIT!!!

He ends up contradicting himself in the story and is tripped up several times by people who were there or knew what really happened.

So why is this upsetting? This guy wanted to kill this fish of a lifetime to satisfy his need to feel fulfilled and to feel like someone important. You would think that a man his age would have gotten past the whole chest thumping thing but apparently not and this wild steelhead paid the price.

Why would I curse at the sight of such a thing as a large and dead wild winter steelhead? Well folks if you are new here then go back and read some of the things I have posted in the past! I've done this blog for nearly three years and I have made it abundantly clear as to where I stand on wild steelhead.

Sure it was legal to kill this fish from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. It truly was a fish of a lifetime and no doubt this guy was proud! He must of been in order to brag and lie about the circumstance surrounding him clubbing this magnificent steelhead to death!

I wish I was able to tell this clown to his face that I think him killing this steelhead shows he doesn't give a damn. I hope karma catches up to him and he breaks his Spey rod on a snag.

Our collective psyche as anglers and conservationists cannot sit idly by while this stuff still goes on. We need to mature as anglers and get beyond the harvest mentality that still abound in places like Tillamook county or Forks Washington.

Hey Brother, Can You Spare Some Water?

A winter in the Pacific Northwest is usually feast or famine! In late December of 2008 we had two feet of snow on the ground and lots of water...in fact too much water.
The rivers ran very high and muddy and fishing was an exercise in futility.
January was a mixed bag with rain at the beginning and then it's like someone pulled the plug! No significant rain since.

Late February and my favorite rivers sit at summer lows. The fish, what few there are, are static and it's miraculous when someone actually catches one. The water temperatures are very cold, as can be expected during winter, and of course very low. I can wade at all my usual summer places in the vain effort to find a willing steelhead but I must be mindful that a slip into winter water is nothing to be laughed at.
It's not like these "drought" conditions have not occurred before. Those of you that are from this area might be old enough to remember the winter of 1977. We basically went with out precipitation for almost the entire winter. People were in panic mode and calling for the governor of Oregon to order some cloud seeding. In the end, of course, it rained. The threat of not enough snow pack in the Cascades came and went and we caught our fish.
So even right now as I write this epic blog entry it's blowing outside and the forecast is for blustery winter weather. You know what I am pondering for tomorrow? You guessed it, fishing!!!!!

***** UPDATE *****

And just like that the rivers all rose about 1' and are off color. I guess I should have written about this low water before huh?

Is ODFW the Enemy of Wild Fish?...You Tell Me

Am I asking a rhetorical question here? Maybe! Let's take a look at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's record concerning Oregon's wild salmonids. I'll summarize the evidence on a few key issues and you good folks decide.



Steelhead Broodstock Programs

I've written about this before so briefly it all boils down to the following. The taking of wild steelhead eggs and making them into a harvestable hatchery commodity. With depressed populations of wild winter steelhead does this sound like a good idea?

Coastal Cutthroat Trout Harvest

Again lots of info on this blog about what took place last fall. With an 8" minimum and an uneducated Portland Metro public descending on coastal streams what do you think the impact on juvenile wild salmon and steelhead will be?

North Umpqua Wild Steelhead

After doing the right thing and ending the harvest of wild winter steelhead on this legendary river ODFW regional biologists did not even wait a year before (7 months to be exact) before recommending the repeal of the no harvest rule.


North Coast Chum Salmon Fishery

There are two rivers in Oregon that have a population of more than just a few of these salmon. Their numbers have steadily declined to an alarming point but these endangered fish, which were once too numerous to count, are harassed and abused by idiotic "anglers" with a C&R season that also allows the use of bait.

Salmonberry River Steelhead

ODFW fish biologists have stated that this run of wild winter steelhead is perhaps the most genetically pure and important strain of wild winter steelhead in the state!
To prove just how important these fish are ODFW not only allows a fishery on them but also allows the use of bait!

I've over simplified this evidence but if one cares to dig deeper you'll see all the facts there. The wild salmonid populations of this state are hurting big time folks and we have a Fish and Wildlife agency that is out of control. It's all about angler opportunities according to the agency spokesman.
Sorry but I wouldn't call these actions opportunities, I would call them an all out assault on wild salmon, steelhead and trout....you decide!

Metolius River...More Precious Than Money

I thought this article by Sandy Lonsdale was a good fit here on The Quiet Pool. The Metolius is almost a holy place here in Oregon and it's pristine value cannot be put into dollars and cents. It's unfortunate that some think it can.


Money or Metolius? It’s an easy pick
By Sandy Lonsdale / Bulletin guest columnist

February 15. 2009 4:00AM PST

Is there anything in Central Oregon that is worth more than money? Anything at all that we should conserve and protect in its original form, unimproved? Like a sunny walk on a forest trail under tall pines? Hours of quiet, contemplative fly-fishing on a wild stream? What about sharing a silent sunrise or sunset with your partner while snuggled up in a warm sleeping bag? What’s it worth, or have you missed it?

When we moved to Bend for my dad to start a new business in 1972, Central Oregon was full of million-dollar experiences.

When guests would visit from other states or other countries, we would always make time in their schedules to take them to the head of the Metolius River, walk the West Metolius trail, maybe a picnic at the head of Jack Creek, fishing on the Middle Deschutes, up the road to Mount Bachelor and views of the mighty Cascade peaks, lunch at the Pine Tavern.

These experiences were special to us, and we did our best to show off this place to others and instill the same sense of wonder in them.

Obviously Mr. Lundgren and Jim Kean, the proponents of the roughly 1,500-person development two miles west of Camp Sherman, and others need one of our tours. The idea of an “environmentally sensitive” destination resort in the Metolius basin is about as oxymoronic as anything I’ve heard in awhile. What are these people thinking?

It was bad enough when this entire square mile of ancient forest was clear-cut by the timber industry back in the 1950s and ’60s.

If the new owners want to develop eco-tourism and want a challenge, I suggest they try to bring back the forest that once sheltered this land and nourished its inhabitants for thousands of years.

“Democratize access” to the Wild and Scenic Metolius basin? You mean there is democracy missing now because there are not thousands of people living right on top of it? Today anyone can go there for a visit, the waters flowing and trees growing are owned and managed by and for all of America; they are public resources.

If anything, the Metolian resort, with 450 home sites and 180 lodging units, would privatize and commercialize the area for those who could afford to move there.

When we were through soaking up that sunshine, we picked up the blanket, made sure we left no trace, and headed for home to savor the feeling for as long as we could. Then we worked to protect what we appreciated about this place we called home. We thought and acted beyond self interest for the common interest of all.

The Metolius River, its tributaries and the surrounding national forest and Cascades retain their special character and wonder not by chance. Hundreds and thousands of people have contributed their time, thoughts and energies to keeping this place wild, unsullied and wondrous.

There is an opportunity to act: The Oregon State Land Conservation and Development Commission will hold two more field hearings in Madras to consider a proposal before the legislature to make the Metolius River Basin an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC).

(The exact time and locations have not been finalized. One will be on Feb. 26 and the second on March 11. Call 503-373-0050 for more information.)

Please attend these hearings and learn more about it. Then act to keep this very special place special for all to come and see, feel, enjoy.

Central Oregon already has the resorts, let’s keep the destination intact and protect the environmentally sensitive. It’s our choice. Call your legislator now; tomorrow may take it away.

Sandy Lonsdale lives in Bend.


Is there a more beautiful river and region in Oregon than the Metolius watershed? I'm asking that not as a fly fisherman but as someone who thinks that there are some places that you just don't mess with.
Ms. Lonsdale understands that and so do thousands of others who visit this special river.
After all do we really need another destination resort especially in this economy? What is there about making another 18 hole golf course in the Metolius watershed that is going to improve your golf game? I'm sure there are those who would love to development the area around Crater Lake...they just don't understand or even try to.
It makes me sick to see the lust for money cloud the vision of people who have no soul and cannot stand to see an area of such beauty just left the hell alone?
My gratitude goes out to those who see the Metolius as a rare gem that cannot be exploited.

It's Just Winter

I walk along the exposed rocks of a winter river that is far to low, cold and clear. Runs that were once too swift and deep for my fly are now at a summer level and seem to spitefully grab ahold of my feathered creation to keep as their own.
The slate grey sky and bone chilling cold makes me anxious like I might be trapped in this place by some freakish accident forever. I am mindful that I have strayed above the normal waters of most anglers much like a wayward hatchery steelhead would and I double check to make sure my truck is parked where I left it. The fish are absent and with no apparent precipitation forthcoming I use this trek as an excuse to practice my Skagit style casting. The opposite shoulder technique that my friend John is so good at comes hard to me and I cop out on fishing the river left bank of the winter stream in favor of the double spey which I can do with some ease.
I know that winter is just the price we must pay for spring and summer as any patient angler knows but it seems like the grip that winter holds is relentless.I know it's just my longing for warmth that makes it seem so permanent. I know it's just winter and unremarkable from any winter past for me. With so much uncertainty in the world these days the people I meet on the stream bank have an anxious and worried look about them. I truly feel for those who have lost their homes and jobs because of the recession that has a stranglehold on us all....a cold winter seems to just make the anxiousness and worry more tangible.
The daylight is noticeably longer now however and with the advent of baseball's spring training the hope of spring and rising trout is more than just some whimsical notion by an old, broke down angler like me. It's the promise of spring that sustains me through these winter months.
I've seen pictures of the first March Browns of the season so I am hopeful.
The best part of the winter steelhead season is still ahead though and the torrential rains that will fill the river are sure to return and I will shrug my shoulder as to dismiss my silly winter rants.
Here is hoping that all of you are anticipating the end of winter as you oil your reels, clean your fly lines and tie more trout flies than you'll ever need.

The Good Old Days

When I was a kid I always thought it was cool to listen to my parents and especially my grandparents talk about the good old days.
When they talked about the good old days they meant the 30's and 40's. I would listen to the stories about rationing during the depression and World War II. Not that those were good times mind you but they would sentimentally reminisce about the days when your only entertainment would come via the radio.
Yes I am sure those were nostalgic times for them.
I was thinking the other day, while making one bad Skagit cast after another, on one of my favorite winter steelhead streams about my good old days of fishing here in the Pacific Northwest.
I'm talking about about the early 70's specifically because that is when I first picked up a fishing rod to pursue the salmon, steelhead and trout of this region.
Back in those days there was no internet! If you were pursuing winter steelhead you had to pay close attention to the river levels much like today. The difference, of course, was not a mouse click away like it is today. There was a number you called to get the latest river levels. More times than not the information was not real up to date so you watched the weather forecast and took your chances. Hey it worked too! We hooked a lot of steelhead back in those days. Those good old days were filled with anticipation of a Saturday trip after a long week of work. We boraxed our roe back then because the new super cures were not yet invented. I loved the after Thanksgiving tackle sales where I could stock up on all the gear I would need for the winter.
The reel of choice was the old ABU Ambassadeur level winds that could throw a birds nest big enough for an eagle to nest in. Very seldom did we use spinning rods for our winter steelheading.
Of course the Holy Grail of steelhead rods was the Fenwick FS83C. This brown fiberglass rod was the desire for all serious steelheaders and the $49.95 price tag was out of reach for most of us blue collar guys.
Hey we even read Fishing and Hunting news to get the latest "Metalhead" reports! I sometimes miss that outdated rag.
Then there was the fly fishing world of nearly forty years ago. It was pretty common to find Leonard Duracane or Orvis bamboo rods at most fly shops back then. Hardy reels were also very commonplace too. Graphite was still in it's infancy back then but it was pretty easy to build your own rod out of the best Lamiglas fiberglass blanks.
Jim Teeny was taking the fly fishing world by storm with his epic 16mm films of East Lake in Central Oregon. We salivated about those big rainbows and browns of the Newberry Crater lakes. We all tied counterfeit "Teeny Nymphs" but of course never realized the success of Teeny....wonder why?
Back in those days the Deschutes was still a legendary summer steelhead river and I remember how terrified I was of a potential but ultimately unlikely encounter with a Deschutes rattlesnake. This fear was something my older fishing partners had a lot of fun with.Speaking of legends the master of dry line steelhead fly Fishing, Bill McMillan could be found along the Washougal river back then. I would marvel at his sophisticated but aloof approach to steelhead on a fly.
Bill Bakke was around back then too.We mostly thought his ideas on wild fish conservation were pretty far fetched and over our heads. Bill's hair and beard were still red back then too! Little did we know that the vision of guys like Bakke and McMillan laid the ground work for wild salmonid conservation today.
I was young and impressionable back then and now I am just old and jaded.
While the world wide web has brought a vast amount of information to our computer screens I think it has hurt our resource also. There is no "paying your dues" anymore when it comes to learning to be an angler as most new guys do not have the patience to learn the right way. Of course fishing ethics has not made the transition to the 21st century all that well either and it shows.
Salmon and steelhead seem to be more of a commodity these days with the internet forums where one can post a myriad of photos of his/her heroic piscatorial conquests to the adulation of the cyber world masses.
On a positive note, modern conservation science has made great strides in recognizing the perils our coldwater fisheries face and how to best deal with those perils. Enlightened conservation groups are working hard to make a difference.
So while I miss some aspects of those good old days I am glad of what I've learned over the years. I've matured into someone who thinks wild salmon, trout and steelhead are pretty damn important.
This is a picture of me from 1974 holding my first winter steelhead caught on the Sandy river. A spawner female shooting single eggs!!! That rod was made by me also. Wow things sure have changed haven't they?

Starry Night

I love this particular work by Vincent van Gogh. I've never been to France much less to the Rhone river region that this painting depicts. I've never even visited any important art galleries where such masterpieces hang but I do know enough about art to have a minuscule understanding of what the master was trying to capture with his brush strokes of oil.

You can Google search van Gogh's painting and the experts will try to tell you what you see.

Try looking at it yourself and find what it is that stirs you if it stirs you. Don McLean's "Vincent" is, I believe, his best song and that is saying a lot since his most famous work "American Pie" is something of an American anthem. "Vincent" is a song that captures the torturous life of van Gogh but in the same way it also captures the deep emotions and beauty of van Gogh.

What do you think he was trying to say with the way the stars seem so much more alive and vibrant than they really are. The rural french village below seems almost an after thought to fill the canvas.

I think too many people over the year have tried to psychoanalyze van Gogh instead of just appreciating the vibrancy that seems to spring from his canvas.

I hope you can appreciate the works of this master as I am learning too.

The Evolution of an Angler

To commemorate my very first steelhead on January 17, 1975 I am bringing back this "blast from the past" blog entry from three years ago.
Yes I still remember that Sandy river steelhead. She was a hen and was spitting single eggs but it did not matter to me because I was hooked for life.
I hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane.

You've no doubt heard the old saying about the different stages of a fisherman. First stage is to catch A FISH. Second stage is to catch A LOT OF FISH. Third stage is TO CATCH A BIG FISH and so on. I feel that progression is pretty accurate if the end result of your angling life is to put a bunch of fish on your stringer, in your creel and in your freezer. If you feel you've arrived at the hallowed halls of the fishing luminaries of days gone and you're at the pinnacle of your sport! Well if that is all you you wanted to accomplish then you might as well read no farther and get back to inventing the next breakthrough in egg cures because the rest of this epic story on this historical piece of literature I call "The Quiet Pool" will not apply to you.
I would hope that my life as an angler has consisted of a lot more than a bunch of snap shots of me holding dead fish with their vacate fixed staring eyes of death. Oh sure I have plenty of those from those bygone days when I had a full head of hair and could actually see what shoes I was wearing that day. Those pictures do bring back a flood of memories of a time when it seemed that there were plenty of fish to kill and let get freezer burned in the process.
So don't think that I not sentimental that way because I am. I think about the days when there was never a need, or so we thought, to fin-clip steelhead because there were plenty to go around. The hatchery fish were plentiful and who the heck cared about wild fish...what were they anyway?
As I progressed through my angling life I began to see things that troubled me. I would see an utter disregard for not only the wild fish that were suffering more than I could begin to imagine, but also the rivers and the habitat that sustained these wild fish. Don't think for a minute though, that this was some sort of moment of clarity like an alcoholic might have. It was a long tough journey! I mistakenly followed a few of those that I would call "false prophets" of fishery management and conservation. I supported and advocated programs that were harmful to wild fish....I was in a word, naive.
In 1975 I met Bill McMillan and heard him speak at The Anglers Club of Portland. He talked about his beloved Washougal river and the troubling way the state of Washington was managing it. He talked about the importance of wild steelhead to the over all well being of the river.
When the Washougal did finally yield a beautiful thirteen pound summer steelhead on a brown stone fly pattern one July day so many years ago I marvelled at the beauty of this fish. The fins stood straight and full an I thought this must be what McMillan is talking about. This must be a wild steelhead! Remember though, I said this journey was a long tough one and so even though something deep inside of me told me to release this fish I did not. I killed it and still have all the glory pictures from that day.
I cherished the memories of that fish and do to this day but with just a bit of regret that I should have released that fish.
Back then the idea of catch and release was completely foreign to my thinking but the first inkling that there was something bigger than just killing a limit of fish was creeping into my subconscious.
I took a sabbatical from fly fishing for a few years as I pursued other things but the fly fishing "bug" never really left. I saw that the salmon and steelhead runs took a nose dive and the big numbers of my early years of northwest fishing were no longer there.
A few trips here and there with friends kept my interest up and I returned to fishing full force. I plunged head long into what I thought were worthwhile organizations that I also thought did the resource some good. Well they didn't! They amounted to what were pretty much just glorified fishing clubs. I learned that when it came right down to actually standing up for wild fish and their habitat they were conspicously absent. Yes they put on a good show but it all came down to supporting hatcheries and wrong headed programs that did more harm than good.
So fast forward to where I am at today. I believe I've made some good progress to finally being what I would call a good steward.
Am I there yet? No! There are a lot of things I need to learn but I think I am still evolving and instead of beating my self up for the opportunities I've missed or squandered I can look forward to making a difference and hopefully some of you will too!

Why Am I So Angry at ODFW?

Any of you that have read this blog know that I have no love for the way things are run at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. I've been very outspoken at the way they have mismanaged our few remaining wild salmonids and the mismanagement seemingly has no end.
For the sake of those who might think I am just some old bastard who has nothing better to do than complain about a state agency this post is for you.
Let me say right off of the top that I believe there are some talented folks that work at ODFW. I've met more than a few of them over the years and admire their commitment to the mission statement of ODFW. Director Roy Elicker is a conscientious, hard working man who I think wants to do right by the resource and the people of Oregon.
Ian Tattum is one that comes to mind. He is doing a lot of good work over on the tributaries of the John Day river concerning wild steelhead.
Kathryn Kostow is another ODFW biologist I like and admire however I am not sure if she is still with the agency. There are others at ODFW that are very good and intelligent people who have the resource's best interest in mind.
There is, however, some gross mismanagement going on over at ODFW and especially in the way our wild trout, steelhead and salmon are managed.
From allowing a harvest of wild cutthroat trout to the steelhead broodstock programs there is a decaying of principles in some regions of ODFW that flies against that ODFW mission statement that I have quoted on this blog more than once.
The agency is out of control and I would have to think that director Elicker must be having many sleepless nights trying to determine the best course of action to take this agency.
The financial Armageddon that is currently gripping America will no doubt have a huge impact on this agency but in many ways they have only themselves to blame.
Their efforts to increase angler participation and lagging license sales by allowing harvest of sensitive wild trout is as wronged headed approach as ever has been tried. The steelhead broodstock programs is destroying critical populations of wild winter steelhead. This agency is so concerned about raising money that they forward to the commission a plan to allow harvest of wild North Umpqua winter steelhead a mere seven months after they took that very same harvest away. Seven months is not even close to enough time to properly evaluate if these fish have made a strong enough comeback to allow said harvest.
One of their fish biologists from the McKenzie/Mid-Willamette river region dismissed the potential harm of allowing a larger bag limit wild cutthroat trout and the use of bait by arrogantly dismissing them and saying "They are only cutthroat trout after all"
Is this arrogance, ignorance or both?
I want you folks to know that I do not come by this distaste and anger a ODFW without reason.
Heck even long time ODFW cheerleader and outdoor writer for the Oregonian Bill Monroe is criticizing them. I thought hell would freeze over before Monroe made any disparaging remarks about his buddies at ODFW.
I take this stuff very serious and know the well is not far from drying up for our precious wild coldwater fisheries here in Oregon. It's time for all of us to get angry and ask questions because status-quo is not working.
2009 will be an important year for wild fish in Oregon and one has to wonder if ODFW is up to the task....I wonder?

Every Picture Tells a Story

This original artwork was done for me by Guy Jacobson. Guy is one of the "Friends of the Quiet Pool" listed on this blog and his website can be found HERE
I think only a person who really cares about wild trout could accomplish this sort of art.
This fish was hooked by me on the Kilchis river last October. He was "slurping" just down from me and I couldn't figure out what it was he was taking. I knew he had a little size to him but I was pretty sure my four weight bamboo could handle him. After trying a at least a dozen different patterns which this trout summarily ignored I moved up stream so my fly would drift down into the slot where he was laying. That was the ticket because this 17" native coastal cutthroat hit my fly so hard it actually took the reel off my bamboo rod. It must have been hilarious to watch me try to fight this hot fish and replace my reel back onto my rod at the same time.
I didn't have my camera on me and of course a wild fish needs to be put back in the water very quickly. Another angler did a quick measurement and before I safely released this wonderful trout.
While I may not have a picture of this fish I did have it forever etched into my memory and Guy did the rest. This fish and the others I caught and released last season are definitely worth fighting for. It breaks my heart that coastal cutthroat trout could be killed in 2009 thanks to the short sighted agency that is put in charge of protecting our wild trout anf failing miserably to do so!
Thanks to Guy I will forever have this wonderful memory to look upon in years to come.
Thanks Guy! You are a great artist and true friend.

My Fly Fishing Absolutes.....mostly opinions

I'll probably add to this as I think of them but these are the things that I am convinced of when it comes to fly fishing.
I'm quite sure that a few of my "absolutes might raise and eyebrow or two but remember it's just my opinion and it is my blog.
1.Salmonids are, in my opinion, the only fresh water species worth fly fishing for (Sorry JM)
2.Strike Indicators....yadda, yadda, yadda! You know what I believe about these.Might as well use a spinning rod!
3.Using bait for coastal cutthroat trout should be outlawed!
4.Fly fishing for summer steelhead boils down to one thing...fish where the fish are! it ain't rocket science
5.Spey casting is easier than traditional single handed fly casting
6.Putting any kind of scent on your fly is bait fishing and shows a complete lack of character and ethics.
7.The Deschutes scares the hell out of me but I love it more than any other river
8.There is no comparison when it comes to bamboo versus graphite
9.There are as many pompous and arrogant assholes that gear fish as there are that fly fish
10.Fly fishing for winter steelhead is tough!
11.Chinook salmon are boring on a fly rod
12.I think Alaska is over rated for fly fishing. I would much rather fish British Columbia
13.Jim Teeny might be a nice guy but his techniques are questionable
14.Spey Pages is the best fly fishing forum
15.Spend the money to get top rate gear and fly tying materials
16.Posing for a picture with a fish and you have your fly rod in your mouth looks stupid
17.The Metolius is a wonderful river and tough to catch fish in.
18.Steelhead broodstock programs will spell the end of wild winter steelhead. This is know opinion either! It's being played out before our very eyes on the north coast of Oregon.




Okay that's it for now. More later

What Did I Learn in 2008?

The older I get the more it seems like there is always something I need to learn. So what did this old broke down fly fisherman learn in 2008 that he will carry over to 2009?...plenty!
First of all I learned the scorched earth approach to conservation is not always the best way to rally folks to your cause. I am abrupt and abrasive and tend to beat up those who do not have the urgency for wild fish conservation I do.
Needless to say I've alienated a few folks with my doomed crusade to save coastal cutthroat trout and I definitely was too insensitive to people circumstances and will strive to do better in 2009.
My passion blinded me to the different life situations that people deal with which might make it hard for them to give time to the causes of wild trout and salmon.
Now bear in mind I still intend to hold those people who make a profit on the backs of wild salmon, steelhead and trout accountable for their actions or, in the case of the owner of the largest internet fishing forum in the Pacific Northwest, inaction. It's just inexcusable to make money but give little back in return!
The same goes for any person(s), whether he be a fishing guide or tackle manufacturer, that makes money on wild salmonids.
So if you think I am talking about you then I probably am.
Okay then, you might be wondering if I learned anything in 2009 about fly fishing. I can assure you I learned plenty.
Whether it was becoming a better spey caster thanks to good friends like Mike McCune and John Bracke or just a more observant fly fisherman in general I learned that this sport I love so much is an ever evolving learning experience.
I long ago abandoned the "numbers" aspect of angling. I had my years of putting up big numbers and catching a lot of fish. Yes it is fun to catch fish but the stress and pressure of being a fishing superstar is something I found to less than desirable.
You take a calm stretch of water on a late summer or early fall day and watch the surface come alive as the various insect hatches take place....it's magic! I think I might just take the point off of my fly a few times this next year just to feel the take.
You cannot love something like that when your only intention is filling a freezer full of fillets or eggs for bait. An angler whose reward is to have as many pictures of himself posted on the internet holding a gasping fish up for a hero picture is, in my opinion, immature and does not get the point of it all.
I am not saying I've reached the "Zen" of fly fishing, whatever that is,but my angling life is becoming less and less complicated the older I get.
In 2008 I am learned to be more contented in my fly fishing experience. I hope to be even more so in 2009.
My hope for 2009 for each and every one of you that pay attention to my ponderings here on The Quiet Pool is simply this.
Learn to enjoy the simplicity which the river offers. We are here for such a preciously short time that any time spent in strife over how many fish you may or may not catch is just wasted time. I am learning this and hope to have many more years of learning this.
I would also hope that you will intensify your fight for wild fish in 2009 because they are worth it.
Happy New Year and tight lines in 2009.