Beach and boat fly fishing for pink salmonIt happens every two years, a massive pink salmon migration to the salt waters and the accompanying river systems of of western Washington’s Puget Sound. Often called humpies, these salmon are returning in record numbers with somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 million plus of these fish headed to Puget Sound. It is a number that seems Continue reading
This isn’t something I do every day, but every once in a while I brave the dark and the possibility of bumping into bears or snakes or whatever else crawls around at night and has the ability to bite, and I throw for browns.That was the case the other night when I visited some small lakes in southwest Montana, on a whim, and fished into the dark. Saw several good fish rise and as dark settled Continue reading
I Beat on Sage’s newest offering; couldn’t break itIf I were a rod manufacturer I’d come up with a new rod series each year and tout it as the best to come along the pike, like, forever.
That’s what Sage is saying about their newest addition to the family, the ONE rod, which I just got a sneak preview of, via securing “one” and packing it into nowhere Alaska. I got the nine-weight Continue reading
Dry flies, eager rainbows and cuttsIf you’re an angler living in the West and have entrepreneurial spirit, this is the best time of the year. Here’s why: after a major spring/early summer runoff, when freestone rivers were bent out of shape and trout were anything but easy to find, the waters have settled and are dropping, running completely clear but high Continue reading
NOTE: Thanks to my friend Kent Sullivan, who’ll you recognize as my partner during the recent Angler’s Tonic Alaska trip, for providing this great narrative on a trip he took a while back. He told me this story while we spent time up north and I knew I had to share with all of you. GT
I recently took my wife, Jill, and my daghter, Finley, on a trip up the Taku River, a way to spend father’s day and our anniversary. This was the first time up the river together since Finley was a year old, so this would be her first true memory of such wonderful country.
At the first place we stopped there were a bunch of fresh king salmon present. Finley had a three-foot-long pink Barbie rod Continue reading
Just got back from Alaska this morning at 1 a.m. Felt as tired and whipped as when I returned from Russia a few years ago where I fished Atlantic salmon. And, in fact, I was almost in Russia two days ago, closer to Kamchatka than Seattle. Eight flights later my trip is over and I’m on the ground in Missoula, Montana catching up on life and work.Let’s see. What to tell you? Have you ever taken of in a four-person plane in 75 mile an hour winds? Have you landed sideways Continue reading
Fast Float—West Fork BitterrootThe water is still high in most of the northern Rockie’s drainages, but some are running relatively clear and offering decent fishing. The West Fork of the Bitterroot and the mainstem Bitterroot are good examples. Took a trip there on Wednesday and Continue reading
Couldn’t resist posting this shot, mostly because I have fond memories of fishing the Kanektok with Deneki Outdoors an Alaska West in June and seeing a friend of mine, Jim Nave, slam this giant. Two hand rods and big intruders and seeing the backing peel off your reel Continue reading
Notice a dearth of posts lately? Ah, life in the way of creativity.
Let’s see. Put Fly Rod & Reel’s Angling Adventures issue to bed in April; put FRR’s Summer issue to bed 10 days ago; emptied a house in Ennis, Montana and made three trips, back and forth, to Missoula, Montana to furnish a new house in Missoula. And, I’ve been working with a week-on/week-off schedule with the girls. Work late. Work early. Change banks. Change internet providers. Set up new phone numbers, cable and Wi Fi. New mailing addresses and P.O. Boxes. Where did those care-free days go? Continue reading
Headed out for Choteau, Montana for the holiday weekend and drove through about two inches of fresh snow on Norris Pass. Then the rain began as I reached Augusta. By the time I drove into Choteau, where it was socked in and rain was falling hard, I had my eyes open for a sporting goods store where I might be able to buy raingear for the girls, Myka, 3, and Tate, 6. I was realizing that it might be impossible Continue reading