There’s something that just feels right about fishing steelhead on broad and deep coastal rivers, under cedar and spruce canopies, with bald eagles winging overhead and mist blocking out the sun—for days at a time.
That was the scene last week as I fished on the Oregon coast and slightly inland on the Clackamas River outside Portland. I was there to visit friends and speak with the Fly Fisher’s Club of Oregon and to finally fish with guide Jeff Hickman, whom I first met on British Columbia’s Dean River, when Continue reading
Fly Fishing for Steelhead with Jeff Hickman on Oregon’s Clackamas River
Posted in Northwest, Oregon
Tagged Clackamas River, Fish The Swing, Jeff Hickman, Steelhead
2 Comments
How to Fly Fish for Bonefish and Permit—the pause and set
As I explained in a recent post on the fly fishing gear you need for bonefish, I am not an expert on the salt. But, I spent two weeks chasing bones in the Bahamas and I learned several things that should benefit you on your next trip (I recommend taking one soon!), whether pursuing bonefish, permit, or both.
As you’ll see in the attached video, Continue reading
Posted in Saltwater, Travel
2 Comments
Two Good Books Discounted Heavily
As you might surmise, I’m moving some product out of my way so I can actually find what I’m looking for every once in a while. I’ve got some boxes of two books that I wrote, one being first editions of Fly Fisher’s Guide to Montana, published in 1997, and the other being Fly Fisher’s Bible, Montana, published in 2006.
I’m super proud of each of these books. They condensed information from the time when I used to spend a couple hundred days a year on the water, roaming the state with my two Labradors, Moose and Shadow, and fishing at free-will. I interviewed all the top biologists in the state, plus shop owners, guides, and outfitters to put together Continue reading
Fly Fishing Gear for Sale: Angler’s Tonic Patrons get first shot at it
I’ve been banging keys all Saturday morning, working on a story about Nimmo Bay Lodge and heli-fishing British Columbia’s wild coast. But now I need a break. I was going to log onto Craigslist and post some of the gear I have to sell, but I thought it made sense to offer it to Angler’s Tonic patrons first. Hopefully, you’ll find something here that you need and can take advantage of what I consider to be some killer deals. So, here are the offerings to you first. Thanks for your patronage to the site.
SIMMS’s Flats Boots—I’ve only worn these on one trip, to Turneffe Flats Lodge in Belize. So, basically, these have five days of use on them. I would say Continue reading
Fly Fishing Gear For Bahamas Bonefish 101
Disclaimer. Disclaimer. I’m not a saltwater expert. Nor am I some bonefishing guru. But I did learn a lot the past two weeks about what a person needs when chasing bones and other flats species and I was able to put some great gear to the test in the Bahamas. Regarding a winter trip to the Bahamas, why wouldn’t you? I’ve been threatening to get out of Montana and into the sun and salt for years and this year, thanks to offers from Continue reading
Posted in Saltwater, Travel
Tagged Abaco Lodge, Bimini, Cabel's, Rio Bonefish QuickShooter, Scott S4S, Simms
2 Comments
Danger on the Flats
Alright, so we weren’t wading when this lemon shark cruised by. But even standing on the bow of a flats skiff it made me a little nervous. But that’s flats fishing—sharks, stingrays, crabs conch, bonefish, snappers, grunts … you see it all through crystal clear water and that’s as much fun as the actual fishing. We saw this lemon just across from north Bimini in the Bahamas.
Seriously. I could get used to this Bahamas gig and doing some writing each winter surrounded by that beautiful water, hungry bones, and a few Kaliks.
Bonefishing at Abaco Lodge, Bahamas
Armando Pagliari and David Tate hoisting a great bone from Abaco Island, Bahamas. More to show after today as we’re targeting some big fish. Based out of Abaco Lodge.
Prepping For The Bahamas
I’m not writing this to rub it in. I know it’s cold outside. I have six inches of snow on my front lawn right now and it’s gray as can be here in Missoula. We could have another few months of this stuff before the consistently warm weather arrives. We all want to be somewhere else right now. That’s why I’m getting out of town.
Where to? Headed to Bimini on Monday to spend four days fishing big bones with Kirk Deeter and Chris Santella, while being hosted at Bimini Sands Resort by Cabela’s. When those guys fly back to the States on the eighth, I’m jumping a milk-run flight to Nassau and then another puddle jump to Marsh Harbor on Abaco Island. There I’ll fish with a friend at Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry, Culture, Flies, Saltwater, Travel
Tagged Abaco, Bahamas, Bimini, Bonefish, Nervous Waters
5 Comments
The Greatest Spring Fly for the Northern Rockies
Trying to do my winter deal today, getting ready for the Bahamas, gearing up for a 24-hour mountain bike race in 2013, trying to shave off a few pounds and hit the weights. So I was driving to a health club earlier, ready to sweat, when I crossed the Bitterroot River.
We’re anglers. Can’t cross a ditch without looking for a rise, right? Well, I looked at my temperature gauge and it said 38 degrees. Plenty warm. Then I looked at the river and thought I saw a rise. Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Flies, Northern Rockies
Tagged Fly Fishing Northern Rockies, Greg's Incredible Egg, Pheasant Tail Nymph
3 Comments
The Farmed Salmon Debate Goes On
Thought I’d let you know that the farmed salmon post I ran last week drew more than a thousand unique visits to Angler’s Tonic that day alone. And judging by the comments I’ve received, it looks like it’s a topic many of us are passionate about.
That’s great to know and it’s exactly why I made the post—I wanted to see how keyed-in people are to what’s going on with fish raised in feedlots and Continue reading
Posted in Conservation, Culture, Northwest
4 Comments