Summer Steelheadin'

Summer Chrome!

"Barn Stormin' bi-plane" buzzes a run while the "green gremlin" sits along shore.

This past week I've spent chasing summer steelhead on local waters with some of the best steelhead fly fishermen in the world.

These are a few images from this past week.  I hope you enjoy them.

Portland area steelheader extraordinaire, Bo Oswald spent the day with me yesterday for the first time.  WOW!  The man can CAST!, the dude can WADE! and he can FISH!!!  We're plotting against the fall Chinook for our next outing. 

This fish made the mistake of giving just a teeny, tiny pluck on Bo's fly but wouldn't commit.  Bo stuck with the fish for about ten minutes, through several fly changes and wades back down to where the fish first grabbed.  Find a player...CATCH a player!

"Deep Wadin', Long Castin'" Danny McGinley has fished with me before.  Turn's out the fishin' genes run in the family.  He's Bo's cousin and joined us on the water yesterday.  Those of you that have attended any of my seminars in the past few years may recognize Danny.  He's the fella that I show swinging a fly for winter fish with such intensity that I use it to illustrate the point of concentrate and stay connected to your fly if you want to be successful.

Earlier in the week I had the pleasure of fishing a new client.  He's an incredible photographer and has his own website http://www.alexmorelyphoto.com/ This image and the two below images are courtesy of Alex.

Tony Torrence is one of my best friends.  He's appeared many times on my blog and website in the past and by the grace of God, you'll see Tony many more times in the future.  Tony and his family spent the last year battling cancer and he survived!  He and Alex have been friends for years and we all spent a great day on the water.  Lookin' good Anthony!

Workin' Hard!  Sittin' in my boat, readin' my 20th Anniversary copy of "The River Why" my bride recently bought me. (Alex Morely photo)

Tony working a run, me lookin' at my "picture book" (Alex Morely photo)

This hook was NOT bent on any submerged log or rock. It was brand new hook when I started down a favorite, fishy run.   After hooking solidly, two fish - and loosing them in screaming, white hot blistering runs...bonehead me decided something was amiss!  Duh!

 I fish 15 lb. maxima for leader material so that if a fly does hang up, I can usually get it back by pulling hard enough to straighten the hook.  I replace the hook and put the fly back in service. This was the first time I'd ever seen an Honer hook fail like this.  Just a friendly reminder...check and replace as necessary your gear after EVERY encounter with rock, log or fish!  Tugs are hard to get and when they come, you don't want the encounter to end abruptly because you failed to check your gear! nuff said.  

See you on the water!