Email Change - Don't Use My Old One

Don't Send Emails to fish@mckenzieangler.com when trying to communicate with Brian Marz anymore. That email was compromised and I am not affiliated with it anymore. I closed the email; so now you can go the the Contacting Brian Marz Page to have the current email address. 

Easter on the Crooked

Gorgeous views while fishing on the Crooked River.....

Fish were rising on midges along the banks when the air was starting to warm up....

Small wild rainbows like this get no respect; yet they will hoop your 4wt or 5wt over.

Targeting rising fish that were keyed into surface midges can be challenging.....

A good old Griffith's Gnat often does the trick when fish are feeding on surface midges.

Nikki liked the challenge presenting the fly to the spooky fish feeding on the surface.....

The view is truly spectacular on the Crooked, and I feel like only anglers and bikers know that.

The standard average cookie cutter rainbow on the Crooked River. They are scrappy and fight well!

Nikki getting artsy on the camera. Cool effects and the pretty view. Where's the angler.....?

 This scrappy rainbow trout with a nice paint job took a Zebra Midge - Crooked River

A little scenic relaxation after fishing before cruising back to Portland.

Mt Hood was rather looming on the ride home. What a view! I never can get used to it!

This Easter, Nikki and I headed to the Crooked to catch some fish and see some canyon views. We knocked out both goals, with views that were amazing, and fishing that was fair to start, and really good for the rest of the day. Fishing was challenging at first with fish rising to midges in slow water, and most of the fish were keyed into that. After a while as the day warmed up, the fish were rising in faster water, and some Blue Winged Olives came off. The hot ticket was fishing a parachute pattern representing the BWO, and then to have a black Zebra Midge dropped off of it by about 2 1/2'. With that combination the fishing was crazy good, and the action was so hot and heavy that we stopped fishing around 3:30, and chilled for a little before driving back home. The whole drive home was filled with dazzling views, and it was a day well spent with my lovely wife!

Recent Fishing Pics - PDX Fly Fishing and Surrounding Area

Lots of action on Clouser Minnows and large white rabbit leeches.....

Stripping baskets prevent the line from getting sucked and wedged into the rocks....

Rockfish are the "Darth Vader" fish of the "Bass" world.....

Carp in battle mode....

Carp admiration......

Two handed casting stroke.....

The ammunition and fire power for fly fishing with two handed rods....

Bombs away! Letting a two handed cast rip!

Prime winter steelhead water.....

A little coastal chromer.....

Covering the water on a coastal river.....

Orvis Portland Spring Orvis Days - April 13th Don't Miss Out!!!

Once again I copy and pasted from the Orvis News, but I am sure they won't mind me trying to send more people to the store. Check out this great event, and there are some serious good deals going on as well! Don't miss this opportunity to score on some equipment!!

Receive 20% off full-price items – offer good this ONE DAY IN THE SHOP only. 20% off valid at Orvis Portland retail store only. Valid on full-priced items only. Offer not valid on purchase of merchandise at orvis.com, or through the outlet stores, sale events, or catalogs. Not valid with any other promotional offer. Limit one offer per customer. No cash value. Offer valid on merchandise purchases only. Offer not valid on previous purchases. Not valid on sale items.

9-11am: Fly Fishing 101. Learn the fly-fishing basics.
12-1pm: Carp fly-fishing expert John Montana from Carp on the Fly.
12-2pm: Food by Pine Shed Ribs!
1-2pm: Bea Armstrong of Deschutes River Conservancy discusses their ongoing projects in the Deschutes River and its tributaries
2-3pm: Cullen Weisenhunt from Deep Canyon Outfitters explores fishing the upcoming Salmonfly hatch.

Questons? Contact Orvis Portland at (503) 598-7680.

Orvis Retail Store – Portland, OR
Bridgeport Village
7495 SW Bridgeport Road
Tigard, OR 97224

Bitterroot Fishing While At The OGR14 / Fishing Manager Meeting

Orvis just had our fishing manager meeting along with the OGR14 (Orvis Guide Rendezvous 2014) at Missoula, Montana. We had lots of training, seminars, interaction with the ELOGs, and a whole lot more. We were so lucky as fishing managers to be able to fish for one of the days on the itinerary of the trip, and the group of four I was part of, chose to fish a braided stretch of the Bitterroot River.  The fishing was not as good as the reports we heard from the previous days, but we manged to tap into some of the fine specimens the river has to offer. The weather was awesome, and the scenery was stunning.

Lee fishing a nice run

Lee probing the fly in a likely bucket

Casting away....

That famous "Big Sky" Montana scenery

The scenery was a wide low gradient valley surrounded by snow capped peaks

We witnessed a controlled field burn, & it was rather cool to see how dialed in the operation was

A nice rainbow fell to the restless stone tied in Skawala colors

The Restless Stone pinned in this bow's grill....

Lunch time after a long haul up and down the river with Brian, Lee, and Dave....

This nice Brown fell to the Royal Chubby fished on a current's edge....

Time to head back and man the Pro Shop at the OGR14.....

Some of the Bitterroot Mountains on the ride back....

Learn to Fly Fish with Orvis

This is a wonderful offer you can't miss out on if you have been thinking about getting into fly fishing!!!

I have literally copy and pasted this whole blurb below from the Orvis.com website, and I don't think Orvis will mind that I am sharing this with all of you readers. Please share this with friends who do not fly fish, and seem jealous that you do. 


Come By Orvis Portland to sign up, or visit your closest store that offers FF101's & 201's if you live too far away from the Portland metro area.

Learn to Fly Fish with Orvis

Fly Fishing 101 & 201

Fly Fishing 101 & 201
Class spaces are limited. Call or stop by to reserve a spot.
Fly Fishing 101
Learn fly-fishing basics in one of our free Fly Fishing 101 classes. Perfect for beginners of all ages, the Fly Fishing 101 course includes free lessons on fly casting and outfit rigging.
April: 19 and 26
May: 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31
June: 7 and 14
Fly Fishing 201
If you’ve already completed Fly Fishing 101, you’re ready for the next step. Join us for a short outing on local water and a chance to catch your first fish! A nominal fee for the outing may apply

May: 4 and 18
June: 8

Cabin Fever Getting You......? It's Getting Me.....

High water has been the trend as of late.....

Water levels have zig-zagged up and down with lots of consistent rain...

Don't you wish you were on the lower Deschutes in August swinging wet flies on a floating line....

Trophy Winter Steelhead Video

When I was out on January 30th, I lucked out and landed the biggest steelhead to hand so far. I have tussled with fish like this, but something always went wrong causing the fish to not physically get landed. The other fish I have seen of this caliber are fish that clients hooked up with on guided trips; so my time for a trophy steelhead of a lifetime was due. This time, all of the forces came together, and I finally landed my trophy steelhead. The video is long, but I did edit a lot of the battle, and some "excited in the heat of the moment" foul language. I kept much of the fight because you can really see what this fish caused me to go through while battling it. Between running upstream and catching my fly line around a rock in the rapids, to getting stuck on a underwater set of branches, enduring a stalemate in a tailout, to just flat out whooping my butt; this big bad mean winter steelhead really was an amazing experience. The video is edited between the "point of view" perspective on a GoPro camera flipping back to another "view point" with a hand held camera of me fighting the fish. The time is meshed back and forth; so you can feel most of the battle. I hope you enjoy the video!

Click Here To View Video:

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2014 - Portland Show - New Date Due to Weather

Due to the crazy storm, the Fly Fishing Film Tour's Portland Shows at the Aladdin Theater have been changed to February 15th. The show times are still 5pm and 8pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Portland Orvis Store ($13/each), along with two other locations ($13/each), online ($15/each advance), and also at the door ($15/each DOS). If you purchased tickets for the show on the 8th; they are good for the 15th show.

Winter Steelhead Quick Report and Pics

All of the low water from a recent drought in western Oregon has made many anglers feel a loss of chrome mojo. Luckily that dry weather pattern during the rainy season has ended (at least temporarily). We had a nice system pass through, and it raised many of the coastal rivers to levels where the fishing has been good for the last few days, and should remain good until the rivers bottom out again, or we get another system to freshen the water back again. The good news is that the rains brought fish in, and the fishing has been good out there. The best news was that I was rewarded with the largest winter steelhead I have caught thus far, and it gave the hardest battle possible before I managed to somehow land it. Get yourself out there and hunt for some chrome!!!

Ryan landing his first steelhead on his new switch rod.....

Ryan showing off his first steelhead caught......

This awesome buck tore me to shreds in the most hardcore battle possible. Feeling the rewards!!

Sea Run Cutts were incidentally eating the trout beads, and would set off a false steelhead bite alarm!

What a chrome "egg wagon" of a steelhead!

Setting this hen steelhead off to complete her mission......

Fly Fishing Film Tour Tickets For Sale at The Portland Orvis Store

Are you planning to see the 2014 Fly Fishing Film Tour on February 8th at the Aladdin Theater on February 8th? Stop by the Portland Orvis Store to pick up your tickets for either the 5pm or 8pm showtimes.

 Tickets cost $13 at the Portland Orvis Store

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2014
February 8th - 5pm or 8pm
Aladdin Theatre
3017 SE Milwaukeee Ave
Portland, OR, 97202

I Love Fishing in Warm Weather.......

While the rivers are really low, and the people are complaining about the lack of quality winter steelhead fishing........

Winter makes me want to be doing this........

Still Two Spots Available - Fly Tying 301 Class - Advanced Fly Tying - Winter Steelhead Flies

Fly Tying 301 Class

There are still two spots available to sign up for the advanced fly tying class. The class is through the Portland Orvis Store, and it is a Fly Tying 301 Class where the focus is on tying winter steelhead swinging patterns. Stop by the Portland Orvis Store to sign up, or call 503-598-7680 to get signed up over the phone.

Winter Steelhead Fly Patterns like this are enjoyable to tie, & they will produce for you as well.