It’s been awesome to have Jon Covich ( Winston, Galvan, Fly Water Travel Rep ) down to Cedar Lodge for the past week shooting some top notch photos. A sampling of his work is shown within this post. Fishing has been a blast. Low water has moved the “challenge meter” over a bit in the fish’s favor at times but the diverse scenery of the South Island and it’s rivers are unforgettable.
Using EP Foxy and Anadromus Brushes Jay creates an “intruder tube fly”. EP Brushes instead of dubbing loops make this style of fly much faster and easier to create.
Winter Steelhead EP Brush Steelhead Tube Fly
Thread: Veevus 6/0
Tube: Pro Sportfisher Nano Tube Clear
Hook Guide: Large Clear
Drop Weight: Medium Silver or Black
Butt: Purple Foxy Brush 1.5″
Body: Lagartun Silver Holographic Mini Flat Braid
Hackle: EP Anadromous Brush Fl Pink, Blue Foxy Brush 3.0″
Cone: Ultra Sonic Disc Blue
It’s been hot and dry on the South Island of New Zealand this February. Fishing has been good but rain is needed badly to revive many of the streams and rivers that seem to be getting lower by the day.
Depending upon the river, we have been walking a fair bit between sections of river that have enough water to hold fish. So far the new Ultralight Wading shoe from Patagonia has been outstanding. It’s rigid outer protects the foot when boulder hopping yet it’s light and padded upper allows for excellent movement and comfort. The sticky sole is perfect for rivers in New Zealand and is grabbing well despite low water and more slimy rocks than normal. In terms of actual weight the boot is as light or lighter than the original Riverwalker boot from Patagonia. Stay tuned for another update as I put some more miles on these boots.
I have always been a big fan of the “sling/waist pack” for wade fishing and have clung to my ancient Patagonia flats style pack for years. Like an old vest your favorite sling pack is hard to give up. In comes the new series of packs and bags from Umpqua. Not known for gear bags I was a bit skeptical until I saw them in person. Without a doubt the designers put in some serious effort and so far my experience in the field with the Ledges 500 and the Surveyor 1100 Backpack confirms my initial response.
Both the Ledges Waist Pack and Surveyor Backpack have aluminum stays to balance the loaded pack when fastened to the body. Over the course of the day this balanced load distribution makes a big difference. All of the Umpqua packs and bags have over sized zippers and pull tags on them. This sounds cool and works well in the shop for sure, but it makes an even bigger difference when the packs are loaded with gear and you need to get in and out of them frequently.
I have been using the Ledges 500 Waist Pack the most. Initially I wavered on the 500 or the larger 650 version. You can never have enough gear with you right? Thus far 500 has been just perfect for me. Four medium sized fly boxes in the main compartment, tippet, floatant, leaders in the front zippered compartment, a really cool tool pocket in between the front and main zippered compartment that holds a 6″ hemostat or barb smasher really well and plenty of attachment points for zingers, nippers etc…. The 500 is going to be perfect for the flats as well.
The Surveyor Backpack is really light and is not a huge backpack. I would call it more of a “day pack plus” in the sense that you can carry plenty of gear and for a long walk but to not a multi-day trip when sleeping gear is involved. I removed the padded laptop sleeve that is large enough for a 17″ machine to give me a bit more room in the main compartment. Lunch, rain gear, extra insulating jacket, camera gear, bug repellent, sun screen, water bottles, extra shades, extra hat, are all held with ease. The area between the mesh backer that sits closes to you and the main compartment is perfect to stuff a jacket in for even quicker access. Hidden rod tube side pockets are cool when you want to pack another rod in it’s case. One possible draw back with the Surveyor is the waist strap. The thin and not very long strap is less impressive than a more padded waist strap like the Ledges Waist Pack. So far the pack has been perfect for my day excursions.
Greg Senyo of Steelhead Alley Outfitters and Lake Erie Steelhead fame will be in the Willamette Valley for the Northwest Fly Tyers Expo as well as tying demos and classes at The Caddis Fly in Eugene. Greg is slated to tie at the show but will also be spending time at our booth at the Albany show.
Senyo is not only a hard working guide/outfitter/fly tyer but he is also an innovator. Numerous fly tying materials like, Senyo’s Articulated Shanks, Senyo’s Laser Dub, Shaggy Dub, Wacko Hackle and more have become trout and steelhead fly tying material standards around the world.
Senyo will be at the shop for a free fly tying demo from 1-5 pm on March 7th. After the Fly Tyers Expo and a bit of Northwest fishing Greg will return to the shop to teach a class for 8 on March 11th from 6-9pm, cost $50 per person. Give the shop a call to sign up 541 342 7005.
ODFW biologists presented its Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan recently to an unhappy standing room only crowd in Mapleton, according to this weird DIY news Website.
The new plan is supposed to be a grand compromise between native fish supporters and hatchery addicts. To oversimplify, ODFW biologists are trying to identify highly productive and biologically significant populations of wild salmonids and to protect them by limiting hatchery impacts (i.e. stocking less). The other side of the coin, some watersheds will be designated to receive more hatchery fish. The number of hatchery fish on the coast would remain about the same, but they would be directed to areas that would be less harmful to sensitive wild populations.
Sounds like a win-win, until ODFW stops stocking your favorite fishing hole.
Native fish advocates aren’t thrilled either. What happens when the struggling native fish population you’ve worked your ass off to protect is designated a hatchery dumping ground?
If nobody’s happy, it’s probably a good compromise. But that doesn’t mean it’s politically possible.
The issue discussed in the meeting involves taking hatchery fish off of Lake Creek, a high quality habitat for wild steelhead in the Siuslaw watershed. Those same hatchery fish would be deployed downstream in the Siuslaw mainstem. But from the sound of it, the entire town of Deadwood came out against it.
If you’re interested in finding out what happens next, the ODFW website points you to Tom Stahl, Conservation and Recovery Assistant Program Manager (503) 947-6219 Thomas.Stahl@state.or.us.
UPDATE: Ethan Nickel, who guides fly fishing trips in the Siuslaw watershed, pointed out a couple items I’d left out of the post. First, the Lake Creek changes would also include harvest on wild winter steelhead — one per day, three per season. Ethan mentioned that this model may be more harmful to the local wild steelhead population than the current hatchery program, due to the life histories of both the wild and hatchery fish on this section of river.
-MS
Spring and Fall Blue Winged Olive Mayflies are important insects to the Fly Anlger. Tony demonstrates how to tie a sparse BWO that fishes well in tandem with another more visible fly. This emerger pattern is a great one for picky fish, tie it down to a # 24 if necessary.
Blue Wing Olive Emerger
Hook: TMC2457 size 16-20
Thread: Veevus 10/0 Olive or Black
Tail: Olive Antron
Body: BWO Hareline Turkey Biot
Wingcase: Dun CDC
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Scott Kinney passed along a new Web site documenting the ongoing McKenzie River Trout studies.
The tag/recapture study launched in 2010. The purpose is to assess the effect of removal of hatchery fish on the native trout populations of the McKenzie River. Hatchery fish stocking was discontinued on this section of river in 2010. Quantitative information about native trout in the lower McKenzie River is limited and existing literature suggests that ceasing hatchery trout releases leads to increased wild trout populations due to reduced competition and angling-related mortality.
The more recent telemetry study Started in October 2012. Little is known about the seasonal movement of rainbow trout in the McKenzie River. This study will attempt to document the movement of several fish over the course of a calendar year.
You can also follow along on Facebook.
From the desk of TU’s Alan Moore:
Mabel Creek is a coastal cutthroat project on private timberland high in the headwaters in Clastop County of NW Oregon in the shadow of Saddle Mountain, just above the mouth of the Columbia River. The project involves:
1) permanent decommissioning of nearly a mile of legacy logging road
2) permanent removal of four barrier culverts and replacement of a fifth with a properly sized culvert with a stream-simulated bottom
3) large wood placement throughout the project reach to provide floodplain reconnection, habitat diversity, cover and myriad other benefits, and finally,
4) revegetation of the entire project reach with native trees and plants.
That re-veg piece is what TU worked on with our partners at the North Coast Watersheds Assn and its intrepid and indefatiguable leader Jesse Jones on Saturday. TU was one of several project partners, providing funding secured from the Orvis Culvert Fund, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Trout and Salmon Foundation. Other major partners include the Campbell Group, US Fish and Wildlife Service (Amy Horstman and the Western Native Trout Initiative) and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. This was WNTI’s first on-the-ground project specifically targeting coastal cutts (applause). Special thanks to Oregon TU’s resident restoration engineer Rod Lundberg for leading the TU small but mighty volunteer contingent on Saturday.
The Mabel Creek cutthroat population is significant because it is an above-barrier population, meaning it has persisted in relative anonymity upstream of 90-foot Youngs River Falls , insulated from the fish management issues associated with anadromous fish populations playing out just downstream, most notably in Youngs Bay. While the habitat of cutthroat populations like Mabel Creek’s and countless others in coastal forests have been severely impacted by decades of timber harvest, these intrepid little native fish have hung on in good numbers, so the more we can do now to restore and reconnect that habitat and cutthroat populations themselves, the stronger the coastal cutthroat piece of the multi-species native fish puzzle throughout coastal ranges will be as we work to put the rest of the puzzle together.
The road on Mabel Creek was too close to the stream, cutting off floodplain connectivity and fish movement, and causing significant sediment inputs at the crossings with undersized, blocked and failing culverts. One of those culverts was pulled here where a feeder creek enters Mabel Creek from the left. The former logging road bed shown here, ripped and re-contoured back to natural slope, being re-planted with native trees.
Western Red Cedar and Sitka Spruce plantings replacing logging road.
Bottom end of the nearly mile-long project reach post-construction. Native trees and plants will be placed throughout, and existing standing wood on either side has already begun to fall and populate former road prism with critical downed wood and organic material to jumpstart natural processes that will ameliorate sediment movement toward stream.
Dozens of pieces of large wood were placed in-stream throughout the project reach. Wood in-stream, especially higher up in the watershed, means fish in-stream – and better fishing – throughout the watershed.
Tony Torrence ties a killer Blue Winged Olive pattern for Spring and Fall. Daily hatches of Blue Winged Olives are occurring on the McKenzie and Middle Fork of the Willamette Rivers. Look for fish to be keying on them more and more. Ideal hours to catch this hatch are 1-4pm.
Blue Wing Olive Biot Dun
Hook: TMC 102Y 15-19
Thread: Veevus 10/0
Tail: Dun Mayfly Tail
Abdomen: BWO Turkey Biot
Thorax: BWO Micro Fine Dry Fly Dub
Wing: Dun Deer hair tied Comparadun Style
The time is fast approaching for the 25th anniversary of the NW Fly Fishing & Fly Tying Expo!
Have you always dreamed of owning a fine handcrafted bamboo fly fishing rod with a Hardy Reel?
To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the NW Fly Fishing Expo a commemorative bamboo rod has been built. At the Expo 150 raffle tickets will be sold at $20.00 each. The winner of the raffle will be the owner of this special 25th Anniversary Fly rod and reel. Raffle tickets will only be sold at the Expo and can be purchased at the OrcFFF Merchandise booth. Don’t miss out on this great chance to own a finely crafted bamboo rod with a classic fly reel. The winner will be drawn on Saturday night at the Banquet. You need not be present to win.
This rod was built collectively by Skip Hosfield, Jeff Smith, and Dave Dozer, all long time and active supporters of the NW Fly Fishing Expo.
Skip began the process by selecting, splitting, heat treating, and rough shaping the bamboo strips. Jeff took over, completing the painstaking process of hand planing the bamboo strips to final dimensions, gluing the strips into a blank, fitting the ferrules, and adding and shaping the cork grip. Dave finished the rod by completing the guide wrapping, varnishing the rod, and adding the finished reel seat. All hardware and components for this rod were donated by Chet Croco, owner of Bellinger Bamboo Fly Rods, an avid supporter/participant of the Caddis Fly Shop Two Fly Tournament. A new Hardy Bougle’ 5 wt reel is included in this great package. Also included is a 5 wt weight forward, floating Joan Wulff Signature Series Fly Line, donated by Garry Sandstrom, regional sales representative for Wulff Fly Lines. This rod is inscribed with:
25th Anniversary – ORCFFF – NW Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo
Skip Hosfield – Jeff Smith – Dave Dozer
7’ 6” 5 wt
The taper of this rod is a Payne 101, with a medium-fast action. It is a 2 piece, 2 tip – 7’ 6” – 5 wt rod. The bamboo is lightly flamed, and the rod contains an agate stripping guide, bronzed snake guides, a down-locking Bellingers reel seat and walnut insert, and is wrapped in fine claret and yellow silk thread. A custom rod tube and rod sock is also included.
The reel that is included is a Hardy Bougle’ MK VII 3 ¼” reel that comes loaded with 20lb Dacron backing and the Wulff Signature Series 5 wt floating fly line.
Join us at the Expo, buy a raffle ticket and give yourself a chance to own this 25th Anniversary Commemorative Bamboo Fly Rod and Reel.
Come to the Vet’s Club this Wednesday for the February Trout Unlimited Meeting. After several years of intense work by dedicated TU volunteers, Wednesday’s meeting will focus on the plan for TU’s partnership with ODFW in Marten Creek. Finally, we have an important local tributary where we can put waders in the water and work to understand and improve conditions for the native redsides, cutthroat and salmon of the Mckenzie! This project is commencing. Hoop traps are being set Thursday! Get in on the ground floor!
District biologist Jeff Ziller will map out the adoption plan and let us know exactly how members can get involved! From setting traps to fish movement and monitoring, there will be plenty of ways for you to get involved, have some fun, get a better understanding of how watersheds work and help out the native trout we all enjoy so much!
We will also be coordinating volunteers and participation for TU’s booth at FFF the fly fishing expo in Albany March 8th and 9th.
The Marten Creek project is the culmination of years of hard work and is exactly the kind of project we set out for! TU 678 is setting up for a great year and this meeting is the kick-off to what’s ahead … see you there.
What: TU 678 Chapter Meeting
Where: Veteran’s Club, 1626 Willamette St., Eugene
When: Wednesday, 2/13/13 at 7:00 pm.
What to Bring: Yourself, a couple bucks for a beer and a friend!
The 2013 Lower Umpqua Flycasters‘ Fly Fishing Expo will be held on February 23 at the Reedsport High School.
Come to this FREE one day event to learn from some of the Pacific Northwest best fly tyers or get casting instruction from Frank Moore at the casting pond. There will also be programs on fly fishing for salmon in estuaries and catching carp on the fly in the Columbia River.
