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!  



Boy's of Summer

Each April Osprey return to Oregon waterways from their winter-over in Costa Rica.  I love them!

Back in the late 80's when I lived in my little cabin on Hill's Creek reservoir, I would watch them for hours as they screamed, cartwheeled and fell out of the sky during their mating rituals.  They'd show up in the Spring, stay all summer raising their young in large nests atop old snags, power poles and the like, then in September they'd head south for another Winter.

I came to call them "the Boy's of Summer" even though both males and females give me and my clients some of the most amazing Ariel acrobatic shows everyday we're on local waters. 

Our Bald Eagles will patiently wait, perched on riverside Cottonwoods or Douglas Fir trees and watch for the Osprey to catch a fish.  Then the Eagles swoop down and fierce aerial combat ensues as the Eagle tries to steal the Osprey's fish.  The Osprey's blistering speed and agility sometimes allow it to escape the Eagles pursuit with its catch of smallmouth bass or trout.  Most of the time, the Osprey is forced to abandon their fish in trade for speed and maneuverability and the Eagle wins the prize of fresh fish.

Osprey have evolved into an apex predator and have such specific adaptations, that it makes it difficult for them to recover in raptor aviaries where injured hawks, owls, eagles and falcons can be rehabilitated.  They have large, sharp scales on the bottom of their feet to better grip their prey.  Their feet are also permanently curved, making it impossible for them to stand or perch on anything other than a tree branch.  Being finicky eaters, they will ONLY eat fish they catch, no hand feeding of a dead fish like other raptors.

Osprey, just one more reason for me to love being on the water everyday!