The Greatest Fly Tying Book You’ve Never Heard Of

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Caddisfly

Fly Tying 30 Years of tips tiks patters

Today, as I was going about my office routine, our warehouse manager brought a new arrival to the front desk. I pondered the cover for a moment, fully prepared to be underwhelmed. Another fly tying book, cleverly titled Flytying. Brilliant!

Then I noticed that Ted Leeson was credited for the introduction. Hmmm. Definitely more interesting. So began my customary “flipping through” where I scan a new book for content and photography. To my surprise, the first chapter was written by Darrel Martin, one of my personal heroes. Suddenly I was seriously interested. Continue reading →

Posted in Fly Fishing Books | 1 Comment

Oregon Anglers Travel South to New Zealand

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Caddisfly

Cedar Lodge Heli Fishing

New Zealand has had it’s worst stint of post Christmas weather in 30 years. Wouldn’t you know it’s the year we decided to organize a group to Cedar Lodge to heli-fish some of the most beautiful trout rivers in the world.

My full report will follow but here are a few shots from our four day stint at the lodge. The guides and owner Dick Frasier did everything they could to claw and scratch out some fish for us. We are thankful for there efforts. Mother nature dealt us a brutal hand and some of the famous rivers of the South Island may never be the same.–CD

New Zealand Rainbow Trout

New Zealand Rainbow Trout

Judy and deon Cedar Lodge

dick matteri cedar lodge

Stalking trout on the south island

Dick Matteri Cedar lodge

Posted in Fly Fishing Travel | 1 Comment

Big wild McKenzie trout chasing chubby nymphs on Valentines

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

The trout rod feels light in my hand. Not in a bad way. It feels like putting down a bunch of weight I’d been carrying around since Thanksgiving.

Sure, I’m still casting two spark-plug sized nymphs and a thingamabobber, but the rod is nearly weightless, and the reel isn’t a some over-engineered machine with an arbor you’d use to wind a garden hose.

McKenzie River Fly Fishing

Ethan hooks a big fish in a blue seam on his first cast. Another welcome relief from winter steelheading. He brings her in, a shiny female with perfect spots and bright pink, translucent pelvic fins.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fishing Reports, McKenzie River | 2 Comments

Winter steelhead: A brief intermission

Posted on February 11, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

To the amazement of those who know my fishing lifestyle, I’m taking this weekend off. Instead of pulling my usual disappearing routine, I’m hanging out in Track Town with some non-fishing friends, sleeping in late, making brunch, and attending the KLCC Brewfest (50 brewers and over 100 beers!!). It’s a half-hearted attempt at being normal.

Looking back over the last couple of months, it’s fair to say that this has been an exceptional winter. Every trip has produced incredible fish, even in the relative doldrums of the last two weeks. I can only imagine what February and March have in store! Here’s a handful of favorite moments from my wanderings, with regards to the good friends who make this sporting life so much more than just fishing. -RR

Winter Steelhead Intermission

Winter Steelhead Intermission

Continue reading →

Posted in Fishing Porn, Oregon Winter Steelhead Fishing | 6 Comments

Fly tying video: Pro Tube Spey Prawn

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

We’re back on the Pro Tube systems again this week, with Jay Tying a Spey Prawn fly for salmon and winter steelhead. These are great tube fly systems.

Pro Tube Spey Plume shrimp fly

Continue reading →

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Ultra violet fly tying materials catch fish, Q&A with author Reed Curry

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

For about the past year, a few of us at the shop have been experimenting with UV fly tying materials. UV dubbing and UV Chewee skin have been a big hit for trout on the Mckenzie and Willamette Systems, and I’ve been working UV Krystal Flash and UV Polar Chenille into my salmon and steelhead flies, and it’s definitely given me more confidence in the patterns, especially in low-light conditions.

UV Fly Tying Materials

Recently, Marcos from Hareline Dubbin turned us onto a book by Reed Curry, The New Scientific Angling: Trout and Ultraviolet Vision that really will boggle your mind. We did a Q&A with Reed, posted below.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fly Fishing Books, Fly Tying | 13 Comments

Ethan Nickel presenting winter steelhead tactics tomorrow night

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Wednesday Feb 9th, Trout Unlimited Meeting at 7pm, in the green room downstairs on the left at the Vet’s Club, 1626 Willamette St. Eugene, join us for local guide Ethan Nickel presenting on winter steelhead fly fishing tactics.

oregon winter steelhead

Free and open to the public! Be there.

Posted in Oregon Conservation News, Oregon Fly Fishing Clubs and Events | 5 Comments

Patagonia 2011 Wader Line Up Preview

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Jon Covich our Patagonia Fly Fishing rep, stopped in the shop a while back to give us a look at Patagonia’s new line up of waders for the 2011 season. Stop on by and have a look.

Continue reading →

Posted in Fly Fishing Gear Review | 1 Comment

OSU Study: Wild rainbow trout critical to the health of wild steelhead

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

From Oregon State University: Genetic research is showing that healthy steelhead runs in Pacific Northwest streams can depend heavily on the productivity of their stay-at-home counterparts, rainbow trout.

Deschutes River Fly Fishing

Steelhead and rainbow trout look different, grow differently, and one heads off to sea while the other never leaves home. But the life histories and reproductive health of wild trout and steelhead are tightly linked and interdependent, more so than has been appreciated, a new Oregon State University study concludes.

Continue reading →

Posted in Oregon Conservation News | 1 Comment

Fly fishing blog links worth reading, Superbowl edition

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

As a Cleveland Browns fan, I didn’t have a lot going on last night. So I rounded up the best of the fly fishing blogosphere for your enjoyment.

From our pals at Moldy Chum, just one more reason hatchery fish suck. They’re slow. Oh, and… Cutest. Fish bio. Ever?

Continue reading →

Posted in Oregon fly fishing links | 1 Comment

New Simms Waders and Revised Guide Jacket Product Videos

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Eric Neufeld Northwest sales representative for Simms Fishing Products shows off a limited edition version of the Simms G-3 Wader.

One of the all time best selling fly fishing rain jackets, the Simms Guide Jacket is new and revised for 2011.

Posted in Fly Fishing Gear Review | Leave a comment

Pro Tube Popsicle Tube Fly Video

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Pro Tube Popcicle

Jay Nicholas ties a versatile and simple tube fly pattern using Pro Tube Fly Systems components and Hareline Fly Tying Materials. The Popcicle tube fly can be adapted in both size and color to targeted species. Continue reading →

Posted in Fly Tying, Oregon Salmon fly fishing, Oregon Winter Steelhead Fishing, Summer Steelhead | 2 Comments

Ground Hog Day 2011: McKenzie fishing fine

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Caddisfly

Ground Hog Day 2011 006

Lou took Kirk, of the Technical Men’s Conference (old dogs who have fished together for decades) down the Lower Mckenzie on Ground Hog Day. The river had dropped to a decent level, the sun was out, and a cool breeze brought some success. The standard patterns for 2010 carried over to work in 2011. Yes, the Possie Bugger, Mega Prince and bombing the bottom brought Kirk some fine early Mckenzie redsides. The window of opportunity during the day was a only a few hours. The measured water temperature was 41.5 degrees. With the river levels dropping and the weather remaining calm, it may not be a bad time to check out the lower Mckenzie.

Continue reading →

Posted in McKenzie River | 4 Comments

Pro Tube baitfish patterns from Johnny King

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

A few months back we posted some cool Senyo Lazer Dub baitfish patterns from Jonny King. Now Johnny is tying with Pro Tubes and is tackling east coast saltwater and trout patterns with this new gear. Here are some fly patterns and a note JK sent about the process:

Pro Tubes baitfish

Continue reading →

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Winter steelhead rule, summer time drools

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

A few saucy pics from last weekend’s steelhead freakout, including a tutorial on the Stansberry steelhead landing style.

Oregon Winter Steelheading

Continue reading →

Posted in Fishing Porn, Oregon Winter Steelhead Fishing | 5 Comments