Jay Nicholas demonstrates how to tie a Copper Miner Tube Fly for Salmon and Steelhead. This tube flies color combination is often over-looked but can be very effective. The flashabou hackle for the fly was inspired by Scott Howell’s Prom Dress fly pattern. Jay uses Pro Tube Fly System parts for the tube and hook guide on the finished fly.
We continue our Pro Tube Fly Systems series with the Blue Hoochi. This pattern was inspired by Scott Howell’s Prom Dress fly pattern. Continue reading
For those of you who missed Brian O’Keefe in person this week, we sat down with him after the presentation and chatted about his recent trip fly fishing in Cuba. The photos were amazing. Check out this slideshow and Q&A:
For info on fly fishing in Cuba, contact us.
Share Your Passion! Bring A Friend! 2011 Northwest Fly Tyer and Expo
The 2011 Northwest Fly Tyer and Fly Fishing Expo is set for March 11, and 12 at the Linn County Fairground and Expo Center in Albany, Oregon. The theme for this year’s event is:
“Share your passion, bring a friend!” to encourage new people into the world of fly fishing. Continue reading
The legislators in Salem are putting together a bill to merge state fish and wildlife agencies with parks and land departments, creating an umbrella organization — the Oregon Department of Natural Resources, presumably in a move save the state some money.
Some of us have argued that ODFW can’t really operate in the interest of wild fish, when the agency literally survives on license sales revenues, so decoupling fisheries management decisions from how they might affect the agency’s budget could be a good thing for native salmonids. But it is too soon to tell if this proposal would be a step in the right direction or not. What do you think?
SB 521: Establishes Oregon Department of Natural Resources and Oregon Natural Resources Commission. Directs Governor to appoint Director of Oregon Department of Natural Resources and members of commission. Establishes Oregon Natural Resources Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in fund to department for purpose of carrying out its duties, functions and powers. Abolishes State Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Fish and Wildlife Commission, State Parks and Recreation Department, State Parks and Recreation Commission, Department of State Lands, Department of Land Conservation and Development, Land Conservation and Development Commission, Land Use Board of Appeals, State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Water Resources Department, Water Resources Commission, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, State Forestry Department, State Board of Forestry and Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Transfers duties, functions and powers from abolished departments, commissions and boards to Oregon Department of Natural Resources. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
Northwest legend George Cook of Sage Manufacturing and Sage endorsed instructor Jon Hazlett are converging on Eugene March 5th and 6th 2011, for the first annual Chuck and Duck Spey clinic. Continue reading
Why not tie a “Summer Steelhead Classic” on a tube? In this video Jay Nicholas shows us how to tie a traditional style Steellhead pattern on a Pro Tube. The ability to swap hooks, use a short shank hook, and add uniform weight are merits of using a tube for the platform of your flies. Recently we filmed a bunch of cool tube fly patterns stay tuned.
From Alan Moore, TU national staff in PDX: Check out this video at the link below. This year has seen an unbelievable, off-the-charts return of ESA-listed wet n’ wild Oregon Coast coho to Thompson Creek, a conservation property and small spawning tributary of the Necanicum River literally on the outskirts of Seaside, owned and managed by our wonderful partners at the North Coast Land Conservancy.
Coincidentally – OR IS IT? – these booming returns correspond directly with the first year the NCLC took control of the property and when TU first arrived, which is also when the habitat work we did allowed the beavers to return and begin improving rearing habitat for the coho fry that emerged that year. Can we thank good ocean conditions and other factors for that in part? Absolutely. Are we taking better advantage of those ocean conditions by providing better habitat for those large numbers of fish returning now to spawn and rear to weather the next downturn in the ocean and elsewhere? I’d sure say so.
The carcasses alone from this year’s run could feed an army, provided that army was very, very hungry and without a keen sense of smell. To the skeptics who say small habitat projects don’t make a difference, or those who say many watersheds impacted by human development are too far gone to do wild fish recovery any good – we give you Thompson Creek:
If you have every seen Brian O Keefe’s photos, you know how great this guy shoots fly fishing photographs. Brian has been a fixture on the landscape of fly fishing for over 30 years now. Lately he is best know for the best online magazine in fly fishing Catch Magazine. Check out our interview with him back in 2008. Continue reading
Barrett’s proven Cascade Lake and beyond Bass fly evolves further in this instructional fly tying video. The Killer Bass fly is constructed on a Pro Tube Micro Tube. Continue reading
Barrett demonstrates how to tie a simple egg fly pattern using Hareline Para Post Winging Material. The fibers of the Para Post are likely to catch and hold inside the mouth of a Steelhead or Trout. Continue reading
We found a few hatchery Steelhead in the Siuslaw system the other day. The typical indicator rig: large Thingamabobber with 4-6 feet of 1x fluoro and a Lowly Glowly was making it happen. It rained most of the afternoon and the photos are pretty blurry. Bottom line is when the rivers drop back down there will be plenty of Winter Steelhead around. Continue reading
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to footwear with felt soles.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. Section 2 of this 2011 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 498.
SECTION 2. A person may not offer for sale, sell or use felt-soled waders or felt-soled
boots in this state.
SECTION 3. Section 2 of this 2011 Act becomes operative on January 1, 2015.
Fly tying night at Trout Unlimited Chapter 678’s monthly meeting!
When: TONIGHT! Wednesday, January 12th 7pm
Where: Downstairs meeting room on the left at the Vet’s Club, 1626 Willamette St. Eugene.
What: Fly tying night. Bring your pedestal vise, fly tying materials and tools. We’ll be working on our winter steelhead patterns, drinking beer, and talking conservation. Learn from some of our expert fly tyers. Open to the public. We’ll also be going over some conservation news and issues.
Hope to see you all there.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Call on ODFW to restore Sandy River salmon and steelhead
From Spencer Miles: The Sandy River flows just 20 miles from downtown Portland and has the potential to be one of the healthiest suburban salmon and steelhead rivers in the world. Over the past decade $75 million has been donated towards Sandy River habitat restoration, yet the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to resist any reductions in their Sandy hatchery programs. This is extremely detrimental to wild fish.
Runs of salmon and steelhead on the Sandy are currently 3-10% of their historic abundance, and continuing to decline year after year. Much of this decline can be linked to an unaccountable hatchery program. In a recent Portland Tribune article, ODFW District Biologist Todd Alsbury said that reducing the Sandy River hatchery program is a last resort.The ODFW has known for decades that hatchery fish reduce the fitness and long term abundance of wild fish, yet they have demonstrated that they are more interested in protecting their hatcheries than in protecting our wild fish. If future generations are to ever glimpse a spawning salmon, this must change.
Sandy river fall chinook, spring chinook, coho and winter steelhead are currently listed under the Endangered Species Act, and chum salmon have gone extinct.
As a supporter of Oregon’s native fish, take action here.
