Last weekend, guides, anglers and sponsors participated in the third annual Mckenzie River Two-Fly Tournament, raising funds for McKenzie River Trust’s coldwater fish habitat restoration at MRT’s Green Island property on the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers. The tournament raised $6,000 for habitat projects.
The tournament is hosted by The Caddis Fly Angling shop, and sponsored by McKenzie Mist, Trader Joes, Mazzi’s/Hideaway Bakery, Oregon Electric Station, Ex-Officio, Simms, Angler’s Book Supply and Trout Unlimited Chapter 678.
The winning boat was rowed by guide Mike Reardon, with anglers Chet Croco of Bellinger Fly Rods and Joe Palanuk of the Fly Fishers Club of Oregon. Palanuk caught the biggest fish of the tournament, a conservatively estimated 19-inch wild redside rainbow trout (it was too big for the 18-inch ruler). The team’s total inches for three biggest fish was nearly 49 inches, barely edging out second place Chris Daughters and Team Ex-Officio (last year’s winning anglers). Guide Lou Verdugo and Team Beast took third place.
The event started Friday night with Mazzi’s woodfire oven pizza at the Caddis Fly Shop, where participants drew their guides out of a hat. Saturday morning, anglers selected their flies (this year there was a $100 extra fly for purchase option), and hit the river. Saturday night, Trout Unlimited hosted drinks and appetizers at the Oregon Electric Station and did the official judging.
Thank you to all of the guides who donated a day to fund habitat restoration on the McKenzie River:
Jason Cichy
Barrett Christiansen
Chris Daughters
Greg Hatten
Karl Mueller
Matt O’Neil
Mike Reardon
George Recker
Lou Verdugo
So far, the McKenzie Two Fly Tournament has raised over $12,000 for habitat restoration on the McKenzie River. See the 2008 and 2009 McKenzie Two-Fly Results.
Stay tuned for the 2011 dates and sign up early!
Great job guys, the video is hilarious and all true! Sign me up for next year!
Really, really cool of you guys….need to work on ways to up the ante and raise more money!
Indeed, great job all around on putting together a super event for the anglers and ultimately for giving back to the fishery and the watershed in general. Thanks to all who contributed to this event, but especially to Chris and Shauna, for whom the river is clearly a way of life!
Chris, wow nice presentation , this looks like a very cool event! I know a few friends that would like to participate/sponsor, so maybe you could send us an e-mail next year when the time gets right!