Quick Solo Fishing Report - Coastal Winter Steelheading

This past Friday, I was able to escape for several hours to fish all by myself. I got out there a little before 1pm, and hiked to the first spot I wanted to fish. It is a spot where the bucket is all the way across the river, and you have to hold your fly in there as long as you can while mending over a heavy plume of mainstream current. On my third presentation, I had a insane take, and the fish was running up through the main gut of current before I even knew what was going on. It bopped a huge air, and revealed its chrome bright look, and oversized native body before turning downstream and burning a turbo charged blistering run right to the tailout above a long set of rapids where it stopped on a dime. I thought puewww....., but then it turned back up, and ran so fast where I could not keep up with the line speed. It blew up another air, and turned down to the tailout and ran full speed to stop on a dime again right at the lip of the pool. It was totally out of control. I played this crazy wild fish, and thought I had it budged after it finally felt a tad bit more controlled. After a while, it ran to the tailout again, and I was working the line patiently back to me, when all of a sudden the line flew slacked into my chest. Wow!!! That was insane!

Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing - Oregon

A few casts later into the zone, and I had another one on for some brief head shakes. After a little while later, I decided to hit another pool. I went right to a spot where on a previous outing, I had a client tie into the largest steelhead of my guiding career. After several presentations, I had a dunk on my indicator, and I struck hard and tight in a downstream direction. I felt a mushy resistance, and knew there was life on the line. I pulled really hard to try and bring this mysterious beast up to the towards the surface to reveal it. Right when the fish materialized, I felt a head shake, and the line went free..... It was huge! It was gone! What was it that caused this short lived battle? My tippet was broken, and I basically felt like I blew it! I felt like my blood knot may have pulled free, but hard to tell. An opportunity to get my trophy of the winter and possibly a lifetime, and it was short lived. 

Besides blowing my trophy shot, and losing another awesome fish, I was fired up on the hot fishing I was experiencing. I went to the next run upstream, and I probed my offerings into the water. I had another dunk, and struck tight to get rewarded with another fine wild native winter steelhead. This fish went about 9 pounds, and it was a chrome bright buck. Fishing was hot on this day!

I started to think about the first spot I fished, and hiked back to it. I fished it hard again, and was rewarded with two hooked and landed hatchery bucks. They were fun to fight, but nothing compared to the amazing wild steelhead I had tied into before. All aside, they were steelhead on the end of my line, and that is always rewarding. I ended the day with one more fish that took a swung fly, and it was a nice bright hatchery hen hooked in the tailout of a nice wide boulder ridden run. I left a little after 4pm, and it was a fun quick productive session of winter steelheading. You gotta love fishing sessions like that!

Quick Video Clip - Trophy Winter Steelhead

This is a quick clip from the other day when I had my client Bob rope into a nice native winter steelhead on a north coast river. The cool thing to think about was that Charlie (Bob's friend) got a chrome bright hen that was blatantly larger than this fish, but the tippet popped when the fish was in the landing mode before I had a chance to put the hoop of the rubber "catch and release" net under that big beauty. We saw it so close and personal though, and it was a dandy specimen of native Oregon wild winter steelhead to see. Watching Charlie battle with it through 500+ yards of treacherous water (stair-step waterfall included) was one of the most awesome angling feats I have ever witnessed! Too bad we did not have that one on film!

Enjoy the video clip, and sorry we have no close up pics of the fish. It was released right after what you see in this clip after a few quick shots and measurements taken with the fish in the water. It never spent more than a few seconds out of the water, and you see it in slow motion on here. Please take care of our wild native fish!!!! They are treasures we need in our future!

February and March Can Yeild that Trophy Winter Steelhead You Dream About

Unhooking a large native Oregon winter steelhead

For the last 3 days, I was guiding two really great guys from Oklahoma. They had fly fished around, buy steelheading was not in their resume. At first, getting the guys used to switch rods was the first line of order. Luckily switch rods are so user friendly; so they were banging out casts into likely holding lies in hopes of chrome. Now it was just a matter of having a fish intercept their offerings.

Winter Steelhead Admiration - fish caught by client on trip

It turns out that their timing was very good; since the water was very low for a long period of time, and a new freshet was here bringing some new smells into the water to pull in a new fresh batch of steelhead to ascend to their natal spawning grounds. On top of that, the chances of a very large native fish are always present this time of the year. It turns out that the "big fish" gods answered our call, and both of the anglers got to experience a fish of a lifetime. One day Charlie hooked into a chrome bright hen that took him literally about 500+ yards downstream over a double stair step water fall, and down through boulder strewn set of rapids, and into a long pool to have the fish take the whole fly line 3 more times (with the drag cranked down). When we were standing there getting ready to net (rubber net) the seemingly over 40" chromer with the leader cranked into the rod, the fish gave one last pull, and snap! She was back off to continue her run.....Luckily, we saw this awesome beast, and she was the largest fish I have seen in person (steelhead-wise), and she was in close and personal several times. The only thing we did not get to do was to scoop it, take pics, and maybe measure it under water. Otherwise, she gave us the entertainment of a lifetime! Charlie was super stoked on that amazing fish and crazy battle he endured with the fish.

Large Native Oregon Winter Steelhead Caught February 21, 2012

Yesterday, right when we were taking our lunch break, Bob was still fishing a few last casts before opening up his thermos of hot chilli in the misty rain. Right then, he yelled fish on, and I noticed that the rod was bent in a sturdy fashion that appeared to be something significant. When the fish materialized on the surface, it was again another trophy winter steelhead. Luckily this fish was in a pool, and there was not too much that could mess this battle up, except a long set of boulder strewn rapids downstream, but this hefty buck was staying in the pool and cooperating perfectly. After a few small runs and lots of sturdy headshakes and some thrashing around, Bob steered this hog to the hoop of my rubber net where I scooped around the fish's kyped beak to then end the battle. It was a trophy steelhead landed! We snapped a few quick pics, measured the length and girth to get a 37" and 20" girth for the fish. That keyed into a steelhead calculator I found online called  Piscatorial Pursuits and the fish came to 19.09 pounds. Whatever it really came to did not matter; since it was huge and awesome looking. A steelhead of a lifetime! After some quick admiration, we sent the large fish back off into the mysterious steelhead green to swim on upstream.....

One of hatchery hens caught

 We ended up having several other fish, but those two were the standouts on the trip for Charlie and Bob. It was pretty crazy to think and be able to confirm how large Charlie's fish was. It was a good bit larger that Bob's landed male steelhead. The huge fish Charlie had on was chrome bright, wild, and so angry that it took us through the craziest battle I have seen so far for steelhead, or any fish for that matter! It just shows that when you though you have seen everything, you haven't seen it all!

Coast Winter Steelhead Rivers Are Getting Low.......

With not much precipitation, the coast rivers have been dropping and getting low and clear. With that, you can start putting your focus on the larger systems that take a long time to finally get into fishing shape. Smaller systems will become low and clear and the fish start to really feel the angling pressure much more easily. Recently, on my last guided trip, we faced these tough low water conditions where it was hard to not spook fish while walking down to the pools, and harder to land them once they got in the rapids and rock gardens. Between the two anglers, they battled with 5 fish, but all of them with the exception of 1 freed themselves on rocks, with headshakes, or areal acrobatics.

Fishing to several steelhead holding in a pool.......

  One fish was a large bright wild male that blasted a huge air right after the hookup, tore right between Dale and I, where I got a great glimpse of this specimen. Then it catapulted a huge air right on the leader where the impact broke the tippet, and it was back off to his early premature freedom. Right after that, Jenn struck to a Thingamabobber dunk with a bright chomer on, that released itself after a few big headshakes levered the hook from its jaws. With redemption from the steelhead gods, Jenn cast back out into the mysterious green flowing slot near the bushes with confidence from the brief chrome encounter, and the very next cast went tight! Fish on again! Yeah!!!

Fish On Tight - Winter Steelhead Fly Fishing In Oregon

It was a crazy battle with the fish, which luckily never ended as the fish "winning", by breaking the line off under the tree that was halfway across the pool. Eventually after many reel zipping runs, the fish yielded and Jenn pulled it in towards the rubber net. I scooped under it and lifted the hoop of the net around this wild beauty, but kept her in the water like an aquarium so we could check her out. 

First steelhead successfully landed! - Oregon North Coast River

We admired this acrobatic female wild winter fish, snapped a couple of pictures of Jenn's first steelhead that she has landed, and let her swim off to continue upstream. I was super stoked that her first steelhead was a wild winter steelhead. That makes it even better! We all gave each other high five's and were stoked! What a day to be out in the warm winter sunshine (oxymoron-but it was nice out for winter), and hooking up with winter steelhead!

Getting the hook out so this wild Oregon winter steelhead can swim on her way

An innocent bystander of the winter steelhead fishing

Dale on tight to a fish!

Strange Steelhead YouTube Video I Found - Steelhead Stomach Contents.....

While web surfing on YouTube, I came across this video, and it made me think about steelhead feeding behavior. This is a video that is totally off topic from what this blog is all about, but nonetheless it is very interesting in my opinion. Makes you think about what to use for colors, and whether or not steelhead eat, don't eat, etc....

Enjoy thinking about steelhead after this video!

This Winter Steelhead Season is Rocking!! Things Just Keep on Getting Better!

Nice wild native male steelhead caught on a Oregon north coast stream

This fish was caught on Friday February 3rd, and it only testifies to what kind of fishing is on our dinner plate now. I walked up to a nice choppy run, and probed my fly into the heavy chop, and the take was like I was hooked on the bottom. I felt three huge swooshing head shakes, and I knew that I was not attached to a rock or flapping branch. My line peeled off, and the battle was on. I fought the fish for all I had, but I was not going to budge, or screw this one up. I finessed the fish in, but with brute assertive force. Every time I had him in, he turned his head towards the depths and pulled line out with a sturdy abrupt fashion. Eventually I figured out how to wear him out, and how to get his head turned into the bank. After several feeble attempts, I finally got this hefty buck to yield, and I tailed him securely. We snapped some pics, and he forcefully freed himself scurrying away back into the "steelhead green" deeper water from my sturdy grip on his deep bodied tail. He swam off so hard into the depths and was gone, like the whole episode never even happened.........

Admiring this awesome native steelhead - Oregon

Fishing has been very good for winter steelhead lately, and the fish runs are tremendous this season (so far). A big dry spell is supposed to happen; so we'll see what comes out of it, but typically the farther from a rainfall the more you should focus on the larger mainstem rivers; while the closer to the big rains, the more you should focus on smaller systems that drop fast and clear up quickly. Below are some pics from the last few times out......

Chromer long distance releasing itself with an acrobatic areal.....

On tight to a very large chrome bright fish.....

Nice chrome bright wild buck - Oregon's North Coast

Don't Let The High Water Get You Down - Steelhead Still Take Care of Business

Swinging Through Swollen Flows

With all of the recent precipitation, I had come down with a terrible case of cabin fever, and the rains have kept the rivers full. Thoughts of how many steelhead that are just swimming by my favorite waters have been haunting me, and I had a friend visit  for a couple of days who is a fishing freakazoid. I was not going to let the swollen flows keep us on the couch thinking about chrome anymore. There is always a spot that looks like it would hold steelhead no matter how high the flows are, and we were going to put it to the test to find some of these potential spots, and hopefully hook into some winter steelhead.

Winter steelhead boiling on surface during a screaming run

We fished for two days, and the first day the river was 20" above the standard flows that everyone who fishes this river seems to prefer. The water color was a tad bit off of steelhead green, but not brown and blown out by any means. We searched for "steelhead water" and that was the hard thing to find with the bloated flows, but we knew somewhere would have water that was about "walking speed" and somewhere from 18" - 6' deep. It turns out that everywhere that fit into that water classification resulted in having a fish on, or at least a grab. In a funny way it was not to hard to figure out; since most of the water was a torrent of jet wash with heavy whitewater or boiling hydraulic pools that looked intimidating. Steelhead are not going to hold in water that would be too much work to hold in, and the slow water that we found was generally above and below rapids; so you can assume that steelhead should be holding there. Fishing with that equation resulted in 6 hookups, and only 2 fish were landed, but the high water was the reason for all of the long distance releases. All of the fish were hooked on dead drifted presentations under strike indicators, and we did not hook any fish swinging flies on this day.

Angler on tight to a large powerful winter steelhead

The second day of fishing was a totally different story. The water was still about 10" above what would be considered to be the optimal river stage, but after the day before it looked perfect. As for the fishing, it was pretty darn good out there. I hooked up with a beautiful chromer on my second cast in my second spot I fished, and the fish took the fly super aggressively. It was a beautiful wild steelhead on her way to her natal waters before I intercepted her for a brief moment of admiration.

Beautiful coastal Oregon native winter steelhead

The water was producing hookups in just about every spot we probed our flies in, but the swollen flows caused many long distance releases again. We had super amazing fishing for the last 1 1/2 hours of the day, as we both hooked up with a 9 fish, and landed only 3 of them again (one wrapped on wood and straightened the hook). All of the fish again were hooked on dead drift presentations, and none were hooked on a tight line swing presentation. We fished both methods, and the dead drifts were getting all of the attention. The high flows seems to aid in the fish ripping the hooks out during the battles; since the line pressure would be so intense. The best part is hooking up and playing these steelhead, but it is always frustrating wondering exactly what the fish may have looked like that escaped before you got to land them. Luckily, Eliot ended up successfully landing this coastal beauty to admire.....

Angler admiring this gorgeous Oregon coastal winter steelhead - January 27, 2012

The thing that this fish made us wonder about was how many more looked like this that got off.....? That is what keeps us angling for more.....

I Wish Tight Lines for All!!!

Today may have that mini gap of chrome opportunity.......

Small Creek Winter Steelhead Taken From Stormy Time in 2011

Storm is predicted for Tuesday, and it is supposed to be another whammy for precipitation. Water levels today on the tiny little creeks would be most likely perfect. Most do not have gauges; so you have to speculate on the levels, but when looking at the existing gauges on neighboring rivers, you can guess and be right a lot of the time. With these smaller systems, you have to get out there on the day you know it is going to be right, or the water levels will be too low the next day after. In this case, it seems like the only possible window to catch a chromer on the west side of the cascades near Portland; since Tuesday may bring an inch or two of rain again. Let's hope this predicted storm fizzles out.....

Small Creek Steelheading From A Stormy Time in 2011

Oregon's North Coast Was Sort of Lucky.....

With all of the battering we have taken with the recent storms, the north coast streams were spared of any heavy flooding events. Surprisingly, water levels only spiked up to where they would be for any typical storm. The central coast took a big hit with flooding, but rivers like the Trask and Wilson rose up, and are now on the drop. Many trees have been blown down, and lots of issues have come as a result of the past few day's weather, but at least the north coast did not meet that potential flooding that was predicted.

Trask River Gauge Reading 1/20/12

Any of the smaller systems should be fishing well by the weekend if the precipitation doesn't fall as anything significant. There have been many downed trees, and trees can be unstable due to the supersaturated soil. Be careful out there, and watch out if you float a stream for fallen timber across channels and be aware of underwater obstructions. Otherwise enjoy the water when you get back out there!

Timber strewn across small coastal winter steelhead creek from heavy winds

Oregon North Coast Winter Steelhead Video

Once in a while the planets actually line up, and fishing situations all come together. Recently Nicole and I had a day off, there happened to be poor snow conditions (because she loves her cross country skiing over anything), and the potential for good winter steelheading was lining up. The water level on a river she and I like to fish at was going to be perfect on the day we had off together, and the weather prediction was rather nice for the wintertime in western Oregon. What a deal!

On tight to a large winter steelhead - Oregon Coastal River

Nikki also thinks winter steelhead are sort of mythological too, because everyday that she has tried for them, the fishing was a total dud. She has seen me lose one fish after a little fight, and also saw me lose one to a frayed tipped on a swing last winter, and that is all in regards to her winter steelheading. Granted she only went 3 times last winter, and we got rained out on one of them, and the other two days I had one hookup each time with no landing as I just mentioned. She has thrown well over the 1000 casts and swings it supposedly takes to hook up with one of those fairy tail chromers. She has also dead drifted her share of glo bugs, clowneggs, Fox's Fertilizers, and other egg patterns under Thingamabobbers with better dead drift precision than most avid angler can do. She has caught summer run steelhead, but no winter fish yet, and this was going to be the day. I knew she would at least get to see one on the end of a line whether it was her rod or my rod. Luckily, we had good fishing, and we shot some footage from the day. I hope you enjoy it, and set aside some time since it is about 18 minutes long.

Well it turns out that Nikki ended up filming me a lot, and watched me fish more than she fished. I also got to fish the best spots, and that is because she is so awesome to me, and wanted me to get my fill of winter steelhead action out there. She pulled in a total pig sized male steelhead, and it was the largest fish successfully landed of the day. At least now winter steelhead are not mythological anymore when we are both able to go fishing together.

Landing mode on a winter steelhead.......

Pineapple Express Brings Some Flooding and High Water!!!

Be careful out there when driving near those "little creeks"! Stories of tragic automobile incidents have plagued our news stations; so be aware of how powerful the flows of water can be while flowing across streets and parking lots. This flooding can be very localized with effects in one area being severe with culverts overflowing onto streets; while the next drainage over may be flowing a little swollen above normal. Rivers are high on the north coast, but the heaviest flooding effects seems to be on the central coast.

The north coast rivers are running high, and they may reach a potential dangerous flood stages, but as of now they are running as high as any typical winter weather system. The potential is there for a whammy of flooding events though; so be aware! If the heavy rains persist, water levels may spike up to serious flood levels; so lets hope that this weather system halts itself soon!

Trask River Gauge Reading 1/19/2012

Nehalem Gauge Reading 1/19/2012

The central coast has already gotten hammered with flooding water levels very badly! Flood stage for the Siulslaw River is 18 feet, and bankfull is 15 feet; so there is some significant flooded water levels already there. 18 feet is the flood stage for the Alsea River gauge, and the river has spiked well above that, but hopefully seemed to peak out. Let's hope that this weather tones itself down right away, but only time will tell.....

Siuslaw River Gauge Reading 1/19/2012

Alsea River Gauge Reading 1/19/2012

 Anytime you have low snow levels for a few days, and then a warm "Pacific Pineapple" weather system, there is a recipe for disaster. Take these weather events seriously, and respect the power of water. A little overflowed culvert can cause fatalities; so don't drive through any water that is flowing over roads and parking lots. Storms will cease eventually; so wait it out before you decide to go driving and recreating in potential flood waters.

NOAA FLOOD WARNING FOR 1/19/2012

Oregon Coast Daily News - Flooding in Alsea & Siletz Basins
Mohawk River flooding prompts evacuation notice Flooding Closes Highway 22 & 229 

New Video - Winter Steelhead North Coast 1/9/2012

I have been a blog slacker lately (not posting as much as I should be), and I will be getting on board again. I have lots of footage and pics to display for you, and here is a video to start with. This is a video of last Monday the 9th of January 2012, and it is on a North Coast River on a day where the conditions were more or less "spot on" for good steelheading. Fishing was solid at the start, and as the light angles brightened, and the water level dropped that extra inch or two; conditions seemed to get tougher. We saw plenty of fish, but they were not cooperating for the numbers we fished to, but you have to be happy to hook one these wary fish in a day of fishing anyhow. Having several of them on, and landing a few fish is always a good day in my book! Enjoy watching the "big one on" battle!

If you are interested in trips that focus on swinging skagit heads on two handed / spey rods, using switch rods, nymphing / dead drifting to steelhead, or if you want to experience all of the above contact me for a trip. Many rivers close on March 31st for winter run steelhead, and January is already halfway over. This winter steelhead season has been providing wonderful fly fishing opportunities thus far; so get yourself out there!If you are interested in booking a winter steelhead fly fishing trip contact me at (541)232-6360 (phone) or fish@mckenzieangler.com(email). I can run trips for "Walk in and Wade" or on rivers that require either a drift boat or cataraft; so get a hold of me if you want to enjoy a wonderful day of adventure on the water!

Winter Trout Class Date Changed - February 5th - 2 Spots Open!

Now that the original scheduled date has changed - two spots have become open for the Winter Trout School. Sign up if you want to learn how to effectively catch trout in the wintertime.

Winter Trout Fly Fishing Class Date Changed
To February 5th
(2 Spots Open.....)

Brian Marz Guided Fly Fishing will be offering a winter trout fly fishing class on February 5th. Come and join the opportunity to get off the couch and learn how to catch trout in the winter months. The class will be held on February 5th, 2012, and it will be on the McKenzie or Willamette River (whichever has better water conditions at that time) close to Eugene/Springfield. Both rivers are a short drive from the Portland Metro area (1 1/2 - 2 hours), and there are no mountain passes involved; just the I-5 corridor, and we'll have the class about 15 minutes from highway I-5. 

    The class will be from 10am to 4pm, and it will be an "On the Water" Class, but it will not be about catching fish. It is a class; so the focus is on instruction, and fish hopefully will be caught while doing demonstrations, but that is not the point of the class. It is not a guided fishing trip on the river; it is a class! This class is about showing the participants how to decipher winter trout conditions, how you'll want to fish out there, what flies to use, along with how to rig them. A lot of anglers are not aware of the year round trout fisheries in Oregon, and how winter can provide some very rewarding angling opportunities. 

Four anglers will be in the class, and the cost will be $125 per person. Payments must be made in full to be in the class, and if the class is cancelled due to adverse conditions you will receive a full refund. This is a winter trout class; so don't expect nice weather out there, but the class will only be conducted if there are viable conditions to run the class for what you would typically encounter for winter trout fishing. Refunds on individual cancellations entered into the class must be made 10 days prior to the class, in order to ensure someone else being able to sign up for the vacant spot in the class. Flies will be provided for the class, and rod/reel tackle brought to the class also for participants to try out if you do not have a trout rod.

What You Will Need:
-waders, wading boots (studded preferred), 5 or 6 wt fly rod (preferred) w/matching reel & line, Strike Indicators (Thingamabobbers), 3X-5X tippet along with a tapered leader on rod of 3X or 4X, raincoat, polarized glasses, warm clothing for the elements
-A Positive Learning Attitude!!! We are going to have fun out there learning how to fish for trout in the winter months!!

Gorgeous McKenzie River Redside caught in the winter

Fall River Winter Fly Fishing for trout

Fall River Rainbow Trout Caught in winter weather conditions

If you are interested in signing up, email me at fish@mckenzieangler.com, or call me at (541)232-6360.

Winter Steelhead Fishing Has Been Hot For the Start of the Season

Steelhead fishing has been hot on many Portland area rivers, and it has been more about what river to be at when. During the higher water, the smaller rivers were pumping out numbers of fish, and as the levels have fallen out, the larger rivers have come into shape and fishing has been good. Just about every coastal river has decent to good numbers of winter steelhead, and things should only improve with the next series of storms; so we'll see what the next water events bring in.

Beautiful Mint Chrome Winter Steelhead Taken on a Fox's Fertilizer

 Enjoy the pictures of the last few times out on the North Coast Rivers! I will be posting more, and I have plenty of video footage I need to edit and get online for your viewing pleasure. Stay tuned.....

Probing a Tailout To A Holding Fish Above a Heavy "Falls" Type Rapid

Fishing A Small Creek After A Large Dosage of Rain When Everything is Blown Out

About to Lose the "Big One" Through A Heavy Set of Rapids

Fishing Below A Serious Obstacle For Steelhead To Hurdle

On Tight With A Trophy Steelhead That Gave One Serious Battle

On Tight To A Chrome Bright Steelhead When Everyone Said We Needed Rain

Not Bad Hooking Up On Your Third Cast Of The Morning

Added Bonus While You're Out Fishing

Beautiful Rose Colored Cheeks on this Handsome Male Steelhead

Appreciating A Gorgeous Chrome Bright Ocean Fresh Steelhead

On Tight With A LargeWinter Steelhead

Chromer Taken on Pink Marabou Leech

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holiday from Oregon!!!!!

Happy Holiday!!!!

Who Says Chinook Salmon Won't Take Flies?

My apologies to everyone of you who follows my blog for my lack of entries recently. I have been working way too much, building my new watercraft, and fishing when I have the moment to get out. Fishing has been pretty good lately; while everyone is complaining of having no water flowing in the rivers. We have had the lowest December flows since 1977, but the fish still have to make their runs no matter what. Crowds are down, and fishers using conventional tackle are not catching fish using their standard practices; while stealthy fly presentations can really shine during times like this.

A Chrome Bright Chinook Salmon Fresh From the Salt

Two weeks ago, I had a few days to fish for fun with a couple of good friends. We fished for Chinook Salmon, and conditions for getting into fresh "tide-runner" salmon were just right. We were using 10wt single handed rods with heavy duty reels matched up with very serious drag systems. The fly lines we had on were shooting heads with intermediate running lines, and the shooting heads we used were either a Clear Intermediate or a Type II (both 28' long). We had on leaders that were 12' long made of fluorocarbon with a tippet strength of 20 pounds. You have to be ready to put the screws to these fish; since they want to charge directly for any woody structure in the pools; so heavy duty equipment is a must.

Black & Chartreuse Size 6 Clouser Minnow in the Grill

The rivers have been so low; to the point where the salmon coming in have nowhere to go but the deepest "pond-like" holes. You have to present your fly in the fish's holding depth in those holes, and you have to have your fly down and parallel to the bottom during the entire retrieve or swing. The fish are not on the bottom, and they are more likely to be about 1/3 from the bottom according to the depth of the water (they are 4' off the bottom in 12' deep water). In the pools with little or no current, you must retrieve your fly, but not like stripping flies for brown trout. The strip is very slowwwwww and steady, with really long gradual pulls on the line. You are more or less causing the fly to swing; since the current can be so slow, where your fly will sink to the bottom unless you keep tension on it. Think of your presentation as soaking the fly, and not stripping it back in a jerky motion, but pulling it back to you over a long slow retrieval.

The Name "Spot Backs" is very appropriate for Chinook

Most of the grabs I had were in between strips when the fly was simply sitting out there soaking in front of a willing Chinook's face. The grabs were rather awesome; as you would feel a mushy hard pull that instantly converted into throbbing big head shakes. There was no doubt when you got into one, and then it was game on for a while. The 10wts folded over like a steelhead on a 4wt; which is something every fly angler has to feel. The drags on the reels are set where it is painful on your hands to strip the line out of the reel; yet when you have one of these salmon run, your reel peels line out like a drag racing car. Serious POWER!!!

This fish was abused by Sea Lions while crossing the bar......

It was slightly painful watching the guys dunking bait off of their bobbers staring at us hopelessly while our tackle was being battle tested. Not one bobber dunk either day for any of them. Our equipment is relatively simple, and the things that the fish are biting on are even more simple. A #6 fly at the end of a fly line is much more simple than a 6" bobber off of a slider, with swivels, shrimp cocktails, lots of lead weight, and level line reels. Two days in a row, we were the "Top Boat" coming into the takeout. The guys using conventional tackle were not catching anything; while we experienced some of the best Chinook Salmon fly fishing possible.

Size 6 Chartreuse & White Clouser Minnow in this Chinook's mouth

The best highlight of the two day trip was Alia's first Chinook Salmon that she ever wrestled with. She fought the fish as Ethan and I coached her frantically. She had an agonizing battle, and was abused by this beastly tide runner, but eventually the fish yielded. She was so stoked on the fish, as we all celebrated with yells of joy and stoked feelings. Ethan and I took lots of great trophy shots of her beastly fish, before rowing back into the honey hole to get into some more fish.

Picture Perfect first fly caught Chinook Salmon - What a Catch!!!

We had a truly amazing time out there, and times like that remind me of how fortunate we are to live at such a special place called Oregon. Most people travel and spend a ton of money to fish for salmon in Alaska; while there are times when places in Oregon can offer the best fly fishing for salmon possible.