Join us for a night covering Mckenzie River Trust’s upcoming restoration project on Quartz Creek. All of the details of the project will be fully fleshed out including: the fisheries impact, habitat creation, tentative summer schedule of the project, and how it fits in with the basin-wide restoration effort. This project aims to promote clean water and a healthy watershed right in our backyard!
Seats are limited so please RSVP at the link here.
Next Tuesday is the long awaited monthly community night over at Falling Sky. We did a fly swap last month where everyone who wanted to participate tossed one fly in the bucket and grabbed a raffle ticket. As numbers are called you get to come up and pick a fly out of the bucket. This is also how we raffled off prizes last month too.
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your community whether you are a fly tier or not. We have plenty of people drop in and just hang out. This is also a great opportunity to experience first-hand the art of fly tying and see if it’s something you want to get into. We have plenty of distinguished tiers who show up each month, there are also beginners who are just learning, so don’t be bashful!
As always a big thank you to Stephen of Falling Sky for graciously offering up his space each month for us to meet. As a fellow fly angler, he is not just the owner of the brewery, but also part of our community! If you have the chance to chat with him be sure to thank him for hosting us.
Below are the future dates through June when we will take a break. We will resume next Fall once the weather begins to turn again.
Over the years, we have tied countless March Browns on the blog and YouTube for all of you guys. Below is a fully exhaustive list of all of the March Brown tutorials that we have tied to date. The videos go back a whopping 16 years, so there is sure to be a bug in the collection below that will work for you. We also are releasing one more March Brown tutorial for the year next week. I will attach a sneak-peek photo below. The hatch will continue for some time still, so it’s not too late to tie some up!
-Simon
Next week’s Jigged March Brown, stay tuned for the tutorial.
In this video Alex Swartz ties a killer Baja baitfish pattern. The Kinky muddler is a proven big fish fly. Its profile is suggestive of mullet and other baitfish. The fly is versatile and can be used for large predators in freshwater as well. Fish these for smallies in lookout, or take a few over to the Metilous. If you are going to the jungle, this also would be an awesome fly. The saddle hackles provide great movement, and the SF blend holds its shape in water and maintains a killer profile. You cant go wrong with the legendary Kinky muddler, any large aggressive fish would make this a snack.
This Spring especially has been a finicky one for all of the things out of our control. Torrential downpours, low elevation snow melt, surprise flow changes out of our dams, spurts of hot weather, etc. have thrown not only us as anglers for a loop, but the fish we are chasing, and the bugs they eat. As a result, this has the insects and fish behaving differently. To be successful on the water, we must change our approach too.
There are plenty of Spring bugs historically, but with the river conditions this year, they are a little more difficult to come by. If you know when and where to be, you can do exceptionally well. High, turbulent water are not ideal conditions for insects to hatch. When insects first emerge, they are soft and delicate. If an emerging insect’s wings get too wet, they will drown. With our high water right now, insects are holding off on emerging. If they are, they are doing so in long glassy glides where it is safer to do so. Fish key in on this and feed opportunistically when and where this is happening. This is precisely why if you time things right you can do very well in a Spring like we are having.
March Browns are the stars of the show currently. Everyone waits anxiously each year for the hatch to hit full swing. We still are waiting for the big boom of bugs, but we have been seeing them intermittently. Blue Winged Olives (AKA Olives, Baetis, or BWOs) are also a big deal, and have been more abundant. They can tolerate less desirable weather, and love a cool, overcast, rainy day to emerge. Winter Stoneflies (Nemora sp.) are also around, fish will take a dry, but are more likely to key in on nymphs. Brannon Caddis (Mother’s Day Caddis) are beginning to stage in desirable water for emergence. We still are a bit out, but you will start seeing them in the lower river on warm days. Bigger stones are making their appearance too. We’ve had reports of skwalas, and salmon flies on our rivers. Fish are keying in on large nymphs, and on warm days will let their guard down for a chubby.
The most reliable method to employ on the water given the current circumstances is to search using nymphs. In high water fish pod up in current breaks in areas where they are both protected, and do not need to work terribly hard to hold their position. This often is behind obstacles, along a seam, and especially in high water towards the bank. Run a single or double nymph rig adjusting the depth until you start dragging on the bottom, from there lose 6-12 inches of depth, and your flies will be in the right zone. Note in shallower water this means to use lighter nymphs. This is something I often do in the winter which is counterintuitive. We did get some new nymphs in shop, I’ve tested several and these are my favorite new ones for high water: Jigged Mega Prince, Jigged Possie Bugger, Goodspeed Private Stock Stonefly, or Olsen’s Straggle Stone. Some other options include: Yardley’s Low Hole, Olsen’s Blowtorch, Weiss’ Possum Anchor, Croston’s Full Metal Jacket, Sexy Walt’s Worm, or a Roza’s Jigged Pink Pheasant Tail. These flies will cover all of the hatches, and immature nymphs moving around subsurface. Generally as the water clears up and drops, it is wise to begin sizing down both your flies and tippet.
Next up would be swinging wet flies. This means soft hackles and streamers. Cast across upstream of where you suspect fish are feeding and holding. Throw in a few upstream mends to let your flies sink, then allow you fly line to get a bend in it and swing your flies through the target area. March Browns are the most well known hatch locally known for having phenomenal wet fly fishing on the swing, with the grannom caddis hatch right behind it. Some long time shop favorite March Brown wets are: Beadhead March Brown Emerger, March Brown Wet Fly, or try March Brown Soft Hackle Spider. For BWOs these make fantastic options if they arrest picking up your larger March Brown wet: Drymerger Baetis, Harrop’s Soft Hackle Thorax Bead, Soft Emerger BWO. You can employ the same tactics with streamer fishing by swinging. Stripping a fly downstream to mimic a distressed fish frantically looking for cover can also entice some big eats. Here are a few great spring streamers: Conehead Slump Buster, Conehead Kiwi Muddler, or a smaller Sculpzilla Jr.
Keep an eye out for the weather as ti is always changing in the spring, where you fished last time on your day off, it could be interiorly different. Warmer calm days will have better fishing, especially on the surface. On really warm days, search the shallows with a chubby and see who will play. Having a nymph below allows you to read the area on two and subsurface. Keep an eye on the weather and look for breaks in the rain and from the hot days. This will help mitigate river flow swellings and allow for more dry fly fishing opportunities. The secret to a good day fishing dries too is a low cloud ceiling with overcast conditions. This insulates the air temp from changing too much, this keeps the conditions for emergence in shape for a longer period of time during the day. If the rivers are really in awful shape, you may want to get on the spring Smallie jam. Our Stillwater guide Adison Rook wrote a fantastic article on it. Click here to read. He also is at the monthly fly fishing nights, and that’s a great time to pick his brain on Spring stillwater valley opportunities.
One thing you don’t want to leave home with is a few sizes of Oros Strike Indicators. Scientific Anglers is doing BOGO for the whole month of April with all absolute products. Meaning all tippet and leaders are buy one get one free. So whether you need more or not, it is a good time to stock up. For nymphing you’ll be using between 3-5x Absolute Trout Fluorocarbon most frequently. For dries the same 3-5x range is a good size to stock in Absolute Trout Tippet Material. The same goes for Absolute Trout Leader & Absolute Fluorocarbon Tapered Leaders from Scientific Anglers. If dries are on you definitely want some floating such as: Aquel or Shimazaki Dry Shake or both. Lastly for drying your flies off before you hit it with desiccant powder, I am a firm believer in Amadou patches. One other thing is a Fishpond puck to hold a few select flies while swapping so that you don’t have to open and close your bag all day: Shallow Magpad Fly Puck or Shallow Fly Puck.
Spring is a fantastic time to get out. Personally, it is one of my favorite times of the year, and each year I catch loads of very large trout. Big trout put on the feed bag in preparation for their spring spawn, so if you can locate them, you will be rewarded. Have fun out there and be careful where you step in the high water!
In this video, Simon ties a fantastic March Brown emerger. He uses a hackle method called “hackle-stacking” to create a low-riding emerger that is suggestive of a struggling insect. This method creates a cleaner look than vertically palming a saddle feather and trimming the bottom off. For selective fish in tailouts or spring creeks, this method creates a very convincing emerger and can make the world of a difference. The March Brown hatch can be massive with loads of insects. This can make things difficult, sometimes with so many naturals on the surface, your fly must stand out. This is when fishing an especially vulnerable pattern is crucial. Tie some of these up, and get out there!
Our group of anglers and non anglers had an amazing week of fun in the sun at Alphonse Island, Seychelles. Planets aligned ( literally) during our week and so did the stars, the tides, the wind and the sun. Our trip was highlighted by some of the best Giant Trevally fishing Alphonse has seen in years. Spring tides and zero wind for the first few days, allowed anglers to access the surf on foot mid day with high sun and active fish.
Alphonse is a paradisiacal island resort where anglers and non-anglers stay in beach side bungalows, enjoy fantastic cuisine, and high level service. Activities beyond fishing include snorkeling, diving, surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, bike riding, garden tours and more. I do not know of a better fishing destination that offers so much for the non angler in such an ideal setting.
Bonefishing was super solid on Alphonse, highlighted by several fish over 60cm. White sand, and tons of willing fish make it some of the very best bonefishing in the world.
Dredging in some of the deep channels is always fun. Various grouper species, trevally species, snapper and more can be found. I like to bring a fast sinking line to huck on the 12wt, you never know what you might find.
Tackle Notes: Many of us tried out the new Korkers Salt Sneaker and loved it. It’s super light for travel, quick drying so that last day you aren’t lugging 2lbs of water home with you, and really comfortable. The wide toe box and lacing system allow for easy entry, unlike so many other flats shoes. Bottom line these held up in the surf and are fantastic flats wading shoes for any destination.
The Scientific Anglers GT Smooth fly line performed perfectly. New 100lbs braided loops are included with this line and easy to install. Core strength and taper are ideal for catching big fish and casting monster flies.
The Nautilus CCFX-2 Silver King was a solid reel for me this trip. Giant Trevally can wreck any fly reel, just ask the guides in the Seychelles. They have seen them all fail. For me, I really like the massive retrieval rate on the Silver King. The drag was seriously tested on this trip and it held up perfectly.
For more information about fishing at Alphonse and the Seychelles in general email us at travel@caddisflyshop.com.
We are currently booking trips to Alphonse Island as well as the outer island fishing destinations of the Seychelles. Interested in booking with us? Please contact us at travel@caddisflyshop.com
In this video, Simon ties a fantastic CDC BWO pattern. Stillborn mayflies happen when there is an accident in the emergence. Generally this involves one of the wings touching the water when the insect is unfurling its new wings. When this happens, the wing becomes stuck on the surface tension of the water. Sometimes the insect can break its wing free, but often it is damaged and the insect is exhausted. All of these small mishaps make for a very vulnerable bug. When BWO’s emerge this time of year, often they do in large numbers. Fish can get picky during any large hatch, so giving them an easy meal makes the world of a difference. The CDC in this patterns mimics the damaged wing of an emergence gone wrong. Tie some up and take some to the river the next overcast day we have.
“FOR NEARLY TWO decades, Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon and bull trout have paid the price for EWEB’s chronic non-compliance. Accountability for the serious harm to protected fish species is needed to correct course and ensure the health of the river and persistence of these iconic fish species.” -Peter Jensen, Cascadia Wildlands
Eugene Water and Electric Board Violating Endangered Species Act
Advocates Sue to Address Harm to Bull Trout and Chinook Salmon
EUGENE, OR — Today, conservation organizations filed suit against the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) alleging ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For over sixteen years, the public utility has been out of legal compliance with federal requirements to provide proper fish passage for ESA-listed Chinook salmon and bull trout at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project and Trail Bridge Dam on the famed McKenzie River.
EWEB’s failure to provide adequate fish passage has resulted in killing and injuring Chinook salmon and bull trout as the fish try to migrate up and downriver, a violation of the ESA’s prohibition on “take” — including harming, harassing, wounding, and killing— of listed species. EWEB’s inaction also prevents the fish from accessing important spawning, rearing, and feeding areas.
“For nearly two decades, Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon and bull trout have paid the price for EWEB’s chronic non-compliance,” said Peter Jensen, an attorney with Cascadia Wildlands. “Accountability for the serious harm to protected fish species is needed to correct course and ensure the health of the river and persistence of these iconic fish species.”
EWEB’s dam license at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project (issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC) is conditioned on the construction of fish passage at Trail Bridge Dam. EWEB initially agreed to install a fish ladder at the dam, but later scrapped this plan for an inferior proposal for a trap-and-haul system based on an updated economic analysis. The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service consented to the less effective plan largely because EWEB promised to build that facility quickly. EWEB then missed multiple deadlines and has yet to even break ground on a trap-and-haul facility that was required to be completed in 2022. Moreover, EWEB has publicly admitted that its temporary mitigation efforts have either entirely or nearly completely failed.
In 2023, on-the-record statements from a former EWEB employee-turned-whistleblower came to light, alleging that EWEB never intended to implement fish passage and that its excuses for delays were not valid. Both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service then withdrew from the 2018 joint settlement agreement with EWEB and other stakeholders. The expert fish agencies also notified FERC that EWEB could no longer rely on their 2018 Biological Opinions and Incidental Take Statements without reinitiating consultation under the ESA.
“EWEB is blatantly disregarding federal law,” said Hannah Goldblatt, staff attorney at Advocates for the West. “Short of a court requiring it to do so, it appears the public utility will continue to delay its commitments to complete adequate fish passage, at the expense of threatened Chinook salmon and bull trout.”
The Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon subpopulation, long seen as a stronghold for this threatened species, has further declined over the past 16 years with known salmon deaths occurring at the Trail Bridge Dam due to the lack of passage. The dam is also a full barrier to genetic exchange between bull trout populations below and above the dam.
“The McKenzie River and the threatened salmon and trout that call it home belong to all of us, but for years EWEB has failed to keep its promise to help fish get around Trail Bridge Dam to spawn,” said John Persell, staff attorney for Oregon Wild. “We are going to make them fulfill that promise and protect the McKenzie.”
In addition to the ongoing harm caused to Chinook salmon and bull trout, the myriad delays have likely increased costs to ratepayers and the overall expense of bringing the project into compliance with federal law. Cascadia Wildlands brought their concerns to EWEB’s board of commissioners in May 2024 in both oral and detailed written comments.
“Salmon and bull trout have an extraordinary capacity to recover when we simply fulfill our responsibility to provide effective and safe fish passage to and from high-quality habitat like we have in the upper McKenzie River,” said Jennifer Fairbrother, legislative and policy director for the Native Fish Society.
The organizations bringing suit are Cascadia Wildlands, Willamette Riverkeeper, Native Fish Society, and Oregon Wild. They are represented by attorneys at Public Justice, Advocates for the West, Cascadia Wildlands, and Willamette Riverkeeper.
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Additional background:
Tribal entities and regional conservation groups have long engaged in advocating for fish passage at the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project and Trail Bridge Dam. In 2008, EWEB filed a settlement agreement with the Federal Energy and Regulatory Commission (FERC), conservation organizations, and Tribes in which EWEB agreed to construct new state-of-the-art volitional fish passage measures (a fish ladder) to allow fish access to miles of pristine river habitat above the Carmen-Smith Project. This never occurred.
In 2018 a new settlement agreement was reached with FERC, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service to implement inferior trap-and-haul facilities in lieu of volitional passage within three years. These lessened standards prompted Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild to leave the settlement.
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Cascadia Wildlands works on behalf of its over 15,000 members and supporters to defend and restore Cascadia’s wild ecosystems in the forests, in the courts, and in the streets.
Oregon Wild represents 20,000 members and supporters who share our mission to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and water as an enduring legacy. Our goal is to protect areas that remain intact while striving to restore areas that have been degraded.
Willamette Riverkeeper is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1996 with thousands of members in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Willamette Riverkeeper focuses on protecting and restoring the resources of the Willamette River Basin in Oregon and works on programs and projects ranging from the Clean Water Act compliance and river education to Superfund cleanup and restoring habitat.
The Native Fish Society is a conservation nonprofit with a mission to restore abundant wild fish, free-flowing rivers, and thriving local communities across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Advocates for the West is a non-profit, public interest environmental law firm that works to defend public lands, water, fish, and wildlife throughout the American West.
Public Justice takes on the biggest systemic threats to justice of our time – abusive corporate power and predatory practices, the assault on civil rights and liberties, and the destruction of the earth’s sustainability. We connect high-impact litigation with strategic communications and the strength of our partnerships to fight these abusive and discriminatory systems and win social and economic justice. For more information, visit www.PublicJustice.net.
We have a situation upon us that happens every year. You can almost set your watch to it. The rivers we know and love, ebb and flow this time of year, as water temperatures start an upward trend and fishing improves. The spring equinox is March 20th this year, and that is significant for several reasons. Days get longer, water temperatures start to warm, and the first significant hatches of the year begin as the sun creeps into the northern hemisphere. Those that were cooped up all winter tying flies (definitely make it to tying night at falling sky brewery on Tuesday March 18th at 6:30!) are chomping at the bit to wet a line. So you finally get a day off work, the sun is shining, you look at the river flows and realize it is way to high to safely wade or float. How many of you have a plan B? With the unpredictability of spring weather, you’ll need one. Stillwater!
I’m an absolute stillwater junky. I started out stillwater fly fishing over a decade ago while backpacking. I took many trips a year and most of the time I’d end up at a lake. I ended up down a stillwater rabbit hole. I read as many Phil Rowley, Brian Chan, and Denny Rickards books as possible. I bought a boat. An endless stillwater pursuit was in my future. Being based in the Willamette valley I’m always waiting around for the productive lakes in the cascades to thaw and become accessible in the spring. I love our high mountain lakes, but I don’t want to wait around for them to open. I’m like you, I want to fish! I started poking around our local reservoirs and I was pleasantly surprised with what I found. All of our local stillwater options have great opportunities with everything dependent on timing (not unlike any other fishing) I’m going to give you a spot you can have success with this time of year, and the reasons I picked this spot to share: You don’t need a boat and there is plenty of access.
Lookout point reservoir. I know you’re probably laughing at me right now, but when the rivers are blown out, and you got a day to get out what do you have to lose? Or maybe, you just want to try something new.
Your main catch will be smallmouth bass. Most people think that smallmouth are a summertime thing. They can be, but these fish start staging in shallow water and feeding up for the spawn this time of year. I’ve caught them as early as the first week of February while it was spitting snow outside. The water is cold, upper 40’s. You’ll also catch largemouth, crappie, and large scale sucker fish, but your main catch will be the butterball smallmouth. These are the slowest growing bass species. It takes 5 years for them to get to 12 inches, 7 years to get 16 inches, and if you are lucky enough to land and 18-20 inch small jaw, he is likely going to be over 10 years old. Most of the fish you run across will be 12-16 inches. You’ll catch the occasional trout, and Walleye even swim these waters…
Let’s talk access. There is access along both sides of the reservoir, but I prefer to utilize the pull outs and trail access along the north side, or west boundary road when I’m not using my boat. If you have an app you like, you can download maps that are super helpful. The cell service isn’t great out here. I don’t recommend wading because it’s not necessary. You do too much hiking for them anyways. With the sudden drop offs along the shoreline you’d likely go for a swim, so I just recommend a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or boots. Find a pullout, drop a waypoint so you can find your way back. Walk down to the trail and head left or right. Keep your eyes peeled for a trail branch that leads to the water. Before you leave the trail it’s not a bad idea to drop another waypoint. I’ve missed this step and fished my way down shore for a mile or more and it can be tricky finding your way back to the trail. I prefer to fish the points that have stumps and rock on them. The straight banks can have fish on them too, but I don’t catch as many fish on mud banks. Never pass up the feeder creeks. Some days those fish will be nosed right up in the current, even in cold water.
Gear and tactics are simple. A stripping basket doesn’t hurt but not crucial. I fish a 10ft 5wt, but if you got a 9ft 5wt or 9ft 6wt laying around that is fine. I do recommend an indicator taper fly line. The wind can come up, and you’ll be fishing an indicator and balanced leech so the indicator line is necessary. Off my fly line I’ll run a 7.5ft 3x RIO tapered leader. Slide on a medium slip style indicator on your leader and tie a tippet ring to the end of your leader (you can use any style indicator, this is just my preference). You’ll run 4x tippet off of your tippet ring. I usually run 4ft of tippet to a balanced fly. Try different colored flies. Green, black, brown, red, and purple all catch fish. Using a thinner diameter tippet after the tippet ring is crucial because you will likely lose flies fishing amongst the stumps and rocks. When you lose a fly your indicator will trip, and the tippet ring saves you from losing your indicator. So buy or tie lots of flies (the fly shop can thank us later). Don’t just cast out into the lake, you’ll want to fish more parallel down the bank. Focus your casts along the color line change right where you stop seeing the lake bottom, and maybe a little further out but you won’t catch much bombing a 50ft cast out into the lake. I usually fish about 6ft from indicator to fly. Adjust your depth and cover water. Don’t let a cast sit for more than 20 seconds. If they are there, they’ll eat it pretty quick. Fish close to the stumps and rock. That’s pretty much it. You don’t need a boat, and there are miles of shoreline to explore.
I stumbled into this while waiting for our prized trout waters in the mountains to open up. This trip is awesome! I do run guided trips at Lookout and other reservoirs here in the Willamette Valley, so if you are interested in a guided stillwater fly fishing trip in a comfy boat you can get ahold of me through The Caddis Fly Angling Shop ( 541) 342-7005. I can take the guess work out of where to go and we can cover a lot more water from my boat. But if you’re a DIY type person I wanted to share with you an option for a new adventure that is totally worth the trip, even when the rivers are in good shape!
In this video, Simon ties a fantastic spring Chironomid pattern. Chironomids are a big deal early season in the stillwater game. Chironomids being the first big hatch of the year, the fish go absolutely nuts when it gets started. Effectively mimicking an emerging Chironomid can be difficult, but there are a few things that are no brainers when tying one up. Using a flashy body simulates the gas filled larva rising to the surface. The presence of wing pads is suggestive of a mature insect ready to hatch. This is especially useful in stillwater tactics where fish have more time to look at your fly before making a decision. The exact size and color of the chironomids on your local lake will differ. The beauty of this pattern is that the size and color can be easily changed to match your local hatch.
The last tying night had an awesome turn out. For everyone who showed up, thanks for making it an awesome night! We had plenty of people tying, but also had lots of people just drop in and hang out. If you’re not a tyer, you are still welcome. We’d love to have you there. As promised, here are photos of our last meetup below. Falling sky has fantastic beer and a few very talented chefs in the back kitchen. We did a little raffle for a shop gift card, and there will likely be more prizes in the future. If you’re tying, bring your own vise and materials. Please clean up before you leave, and be mindful of closing time. Scroll down to see photos and all upcoming dates for the next few months.
Stephen, of falling sky, had a wonderful idea to do a fly swap at this next meetup. So either bring two matching flies of one pattern, or tie two up at the event. Towards the end we will put them all in a pot and do a raffle system for everyone participating. Feel free to tie them before hand, especially if you know you’ll do more talking than tying at the brewery.
We are so lucky to be able to gather as a community at Falling Sky. If you see Stephen at the next event, be sure to thank him for hosting us!
Upcoming dates listed below:
Tuesday March 18th @ 6:30pm
Tuesday April 22nd @ 6:30pm
Tuesday May 20th @ 6:30pm
Tuesday June 17th @ 6:30pm
Always taking place at:
Falling Sky Brewing 1334 Oak Alley
Eugene, OR 97401
See you at the next one. Tell all your friends, the more the merrier.
If you have not already heard, Patagonia released a new line of waders just a few weeks ago. They are an improved re-release of their past iteration of Swiftcurrent waders. They have been updated, and most notably the geometry of the waders has been improved. The past waders were great, and Patagonia has found a way to improve them even more. They also shaved down their wader line to three models. They have done away with the packable Swiftcurrent travel wader, and the intro level wader has been completely redesigned with a zipper. This makes choosing what is best for you a little easier. A zip front wader offered in two price points, both boasting Patagonia’s superb quality just what we wanted in early 2025.
The new Traverse wader is a completely new release for Patagonia. A zip front wader retailing at $549, with Patagonia’s quality is unheard of. Constructed with a 5.6 oz 4 layer fabric featuring Patagonia’s signature H2NO selectively permeable membrane, this wader offers the breathability and waterproofing of a gore-tex like materials without the PFAS forever chemicals. A gusseted crotch and seam geometry that prioritizes movement mean these waders were made to move. The redesigned calf of the waders makes slipping in and out of the bootie a breeze. This has changed the fit, and will be covered more below. Like their past waders, they have additional protection at high frequency abrasion points like the ankles. Lastly the wader features a YYK waterproof zipper, and still has drop down chest tabs like past models. This means the chest can be dropped down on sliding suspenders and can be worn as pants.
The Swiftcurrent Expedition and Swiftcurrent Expedition Zip Front waders haven’t changed all that much. The most noticeable is the new green color. If you are unfamiliar, these waders are also constructed with H2NO technology. A 5.6 oz upper and 9.4 oz lower means you have additional warmth where you need it, and additional thickness where abrasions, pokes, and accidents will happen. The lower, which gets the bulk of the abuse, is fabricated more robustly, and the upper remains light for breathability. Both pair comes with knee pads which are, in my opinion, an essential feature. The standard Expedition comes in at $699 and the zip fronts are $799. They have been giving the same seam makeover and the fit is somehow better than their last models.
Comparing the two comes down to conditions you may be fishing in, how often you fish, and how hard you are on your gear. The Traverse waders are lighter than the Expedition series. This makes them better warm weather waders, they are more packable, and makes them less expensive. The zipper is a convenient feature, not only for getting in and out, but also going to the bathroom. The expedition series are built more for the unstoppable angler. If you are going to be pushing through brush, blackberries, fishing on cold winter days, and fishing any chance you have, then the Expedition series is better for you. Despite being a thicker wader, it regulates temperature in the summer surprisingly well. As for the zipper, that is a personal choice. I do know that most people that pay extra for it like it, and have a hard time going back to nonzip waders after. A fantastic boot to consider is Patagonia’s Forra Boot, they are what I have on in the video and I personally own a pair. See a full review of those here.
The fit has changed quite a bit with these waders, so if you had the past iteration of these, your size has likely changed. I wore an MRM as a 5’8 160lb man in past models. Due to the change in the bootie, ankle, and overall seam geometry. The legs seem to have been made longer in just about every model. By making the bootie easier to get into, they also made the bootie larger. Now I’d be most comfortable in a MSS (Sizing down the leg and bootie). Chris had a similar experience and used to wear an MLM, now he fits best in an MRM. This is something to be mindful of when trying these on in store, and especially purchasing online.
As always, Patagonia has a fantastic ethos and a correspondingly great warranty. They will repair your waders until the end and if they cannot, they will often give you a credit, and upcycle your waders into bags and totes. They do everything in their power to avoid throwing things out. My past generation of these waders has been into repairs twice, all from me pushing the envelope time after time. One was extremely avoidable as I was climbing over extremely sharp metal. Right after I got the waders, I tore the knee completely out leaving a 4 inch gash. The repair team at Patagonia stitched them up a little over 5 years ago and I have not had a single leak. My waders are now full of stitching and repairs, I can proudly still wear all my years of adventures, and the waders have a visible history that tell many stories. The best part is that they are not buried in a landfill.
We are extremely excited about these at the shop. If you live nearby, swing by and check them out. If you’re out of state or the country, give us a ring or email the shop, and we are happy to help you out and ship them to you. It is easy for us to recommend Patagonia waders simply because they are the best that money can buy making them a fantastic investment.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is woefully underfunded. That’s why our conservation partners at Oregon Wild are working to pass Oregon House Bill 2977, which would raise the state’s transient lodging tax—also known as the tourism tax—in order to invest in the agency that manages Oregon’s wild, native fish populations, as well as other Pacific Northwest species. Please add your name to the Oregon Wild Petition urging state legislators to pass HB 2977—also known as “1% for Wildlife.”
Oregon’s Vulnerable Fish, Wildlife, and Habitat Are At-Risk.
Dear Members of the Oregon Legislature,
We, the undersigned, urge you to support HB 2977, a bill to secure long-term, dedicated funding to prevent the decline of Oregon’s most imperiled fish, wildlife, and habitats.
Oregon is an incredibly special place; home to a diverse array of flora, fauna, and the habitats that support them. Unfortunately, development, climate change, and other natural and human-made impacts put their future at risk.
There are nearly 300 species in Oregon at an elevated risk of extinction and 11 habitats of conservation concern. To combat this – and ensure all species thrive in Oregon – we need bold, proactive investments in their recovery.
HB 2977 would provide a steady, sustainable source of funds to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to recover Oregon’s most imperiled species and habitat and enhance biodiversity – all of which contribute to Oregon’s tourism and outdoor recreation economy.
Please support ‘1% for Wildlife” by passing HB 2977 today
This last December I treated myself to a Renzetti Master M6014 Vise. I exercised some self control, and despite my excitement, I tested the vise extensively and waited several weeks to write this review for all of you.
This is the type of vise that I would imagine most tyers are upgrading to. Like I said above, this is generally regarded as the ceiling in terms of vise tiers, and it should be the last vise that you need to buy. I upgraded to this vise from a Renzetti Traveler. The Traveler was a great vise to me, it was lightweight, had great jaws, was made well, and was portable for when I am tying outside of my home. This does not mean by any means that if you are a beginner and love buying the best of the best to avoid the Master, this would make a fantastic first vise, and you’d never have to upgrade it. I was looking to upgrade to something a little nicer. Initially, I was looking for a heavier weight vise that would live most of its days on my desk. The traveler was great for when I was on the go, but with a dedicated tying desk at home, something much more burly seemed appealing. I debated getting a Presentation, but did not want to feel the urge to upgrade a few years down the road.
I decided to purchase the Master M6014 in Olive. This vise came stock with a crank arm, hinged stem, material spring, bobbin rest, and the streamer base. The base was a must for me as I had a streamer base on my Traveler. The larger base, is crucial for me as it gives the vise a much larger platform, thus greatly reducing its ability to get knocked around and shift. The assembly was simple and intuitive, and only took a few minutes. With the vise assembled on my desk, I knew exactly why I decided to go this route. There was not much of a learning curve as I was already coming from a Renzetti rotary style vise, within the first two flies I felt right at home. After a few trips with it back and forth from my desk to the shop, and to several tying nights at falling sky, I am impressed with its packability. It certainly is not as compact as the Traveler, as its construction is much more robust. The hinged shaft makes packing it into my Fishpond Tailwater Bag much easier. The vise tied small nymphs down to #20 with ease and articulated trout spey streamers like nothing. The material clamp really was helpful for articulated flies and extra materials as it can be pivoted to where you need it. I also tied up a batch of saltwater flies and the strong jaws kept even 6/o saltwater hooks in place. Owning a vise of this caliber will not instantly make you a better tyer, but it will inspire you to take more pride in what you are tying up
Like I said above, the Streamer Base is crucial for me. With the larger base, the Master virtually cannot be knocked over. This was the case with my traveler as well, and the presentations that I have put my hands on. Another attractive feature is that all of these fantastic vises are manufactured here in the USA. The smaller, family owned company has not gotten too big and is easily reached of you have any issues. The built in material clamp is able to be pivoted which is different from all of their other vises. The stock Jaws are fantastic and can accommodate flies sizing: #28 to 10/0. I did add a 6 inch Renzetti Tool Bar, this bar is machined and it sits right on the shaft. I bought olive to match my vise and it looks awesome. The bar stores several tools at once while complimenting my vise nicely. This can be especially helpful on complex patterns where you use multiple tools/ bobbins. Just like the bobbin rest, this bar can be swing out of your way, generally you wont even know it is there. Renzetti did come out with a new product called a Flybar, which goes onto the bobbin rest. The Flybar is a slotted foam cylinder that runs over the bobbin rest’s shaft. This is great for production tying, or giving a spot for your flies to hang, dry, or both. I have not tried it on my new setup yet, but I have been temped to take one home several times.
As I said above, owning a vise like this will inadvertently make you a better tyer. You will feel a subconscious push to tie better while using this tool. This vise would make an epic first vise, if you’re willing to shell out the money on your first one. More commonly, this vise is for the accomplished tyer that has been thinking about an upgrade. Versatile, elegant, and hand made here in the USA, you cant do much better for a high end vise. I truly believe that the Renzetti Master Vise is the epitome of high end vises. While you may not need this vise to tie beautiful flies, I highly recommend that you convince yourself otherwise. I did and do not regret it at all; in fact, I highly encourage it. This work of art has enriched my nightly tying experience. For someone who ties a lot and is considering upgrading, this is a no brainer. Feel free to call or email us with questions, or swing by the shop and check one out for yourself.
