Fly Fishing Abaco Island Bahamas Wrap Up

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Stick around any saltwater destination long enough and those beautiful blue skies and mild wind will turn to dark clouds and 20-35 knot winds. It’s just the nature of the beast. Our first 8 days in the Bahamas, the weather was amazing. Gorgeous caribbean blues that change with the tide throughout the day. Sunrises and sunsets that included moon stars and sun all in the same sky all at the same time! Enough breeze to keep the “no seem-ums” down and the “doctor flies” at bay. Fishing was good to. Great spotting conditions gave us plenty of time to position our casts to avoid spooking the ever wary bonefish.

abaco bonefish

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Posted in Fly Fishing Travel | 3 Comments

Jay Nicholas’s Gray Ghost Clouser Chinook Salmon Fly Tying Video

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

A sparse clouser minnow with a little bit of flash, and a little gray will work on pressured fish in clear water. When the Elk and Sixes on the South coast get low and clear this is a good one to have in the box.–CD

Jay Nicholas's Chinook Salmon Gray Ghost Clouser

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Posted in Fly Tying, Oregon Salmon fly fishing | Leave a comment

Middle Fork of the Willamette Producing Late in the Season

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Winter trouting, or as some call it the “second season” is approaching. Midges, Beatis, and a heavy dose of nymphing are the play December and January. For now the Middle Fork of the Willamette from Hills Creek down to Lookout Point Reservoir remains in good shape with water temperatures in the low fifties. The standard hopper dropper set-up has been productive as well as dedicated nymph rigs. As long as the water levels hold the Middle Fork will fish this Fall/Winter.

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Posted in Fishing Reports, Middle Fork Willamette River fishing | 1 Comment

Trailer Party: Greatest Migration and Low & Clear

Posted on November 13, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Two radical trailers to watch. In the first, check out ODFW Fisheries Honcho Ed Bowles going after the Lower Snake River dams. In the second, just a beautifully shot trailer of the 2010 Drake “Film of the Year”.

The Greatest Migration Teaser from Epicocity Project on Vimeo.

LOW & CLEAR Official Trailer from Finback Films on Vimeo.

Posted in Oregon fly fishing links | 5 Comments

Bigfoot on the McKenzie River follow up

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Last summer, Caddis Fly employee Jason Cichy stumbled onto Bigfoot in one of our blog videos. What appeared to be two large hominids were recorded walking around in the frame. Clay Holloway reported the sighting to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, and the video you see here is the on-site scientific analysis of the scene, as well as documentation of bigfoot prints found in the side yard of Ike’s Pizza.

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Posted in McKenzie River | 3 Comments

Trout Unlimited’s identity crisis in the Pacific Northwest

Posted on November 11, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

What is Trout Unlimited? I can give a pretty straightforward answer: A national conservation organization advocating for conserving, protecting and restoring North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds. The org is 140,000 members strong and has been around for over fifty years. I actually signed up for TU in elementary school because I liked the copy of Trout Magazine I found in the library.

TroutUnlimited Focus Group

But somehow in the Pacific Northwest, TU’s identity isn’t quite as clear.

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Posted in Oregon Conservation News | 18 Comments

Jay Nicholas’s Elk River Estuary Shrimp Chinook Salmon Fly Tying Video

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Jay says he has often caught chinook salmon in the estuaries that have small gray shrimp in their bellies. This shrimp fly is designed to imitate those forage critters.

Elk River Estuary Shrimp Fly Jay Nicholas Chinook Salmon Pattern

Jay Nicholas’s Elk River Estuary Shrimp

Hook: TMC 811S Saltwater Fly Tying Hook #4
Thread: Lagartaun X-Strong 150 Denier Black
Eyes: EP Crustacean Eyes Crab + Shrimp Med or Large
Tail: Gray Bucktail, UV Gray Krystal Flash
Body: Hareline Plus Adams Gray+ Ice Dub UV Gray
Hackle/Feelers: Grizzly Saddle Hackle

Posted in Fly Tying, Oregon Salmon fly fishing | 2 Comments

Jay Nicholas’s Chinook Salmon Surf Fly Tying Video

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Jay Nicholas demonstrates how to tie another salmon pattern. Surf or estuary this pattern can be a killer “mini baitfish” pattern for fresh Chinook or Coho salmon.–CD

Jay Nicholas's Chinook Salmon Surf Fly

Jay Nicholas’s Chinook Salmon Surf Fly

Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S
Thread: White Lagartun X-Strong 150 D
Belly: White Bucktail
Wing: Chartreuse Bucktail, Krystal Flash UV Tan, Herring Back, Pink Bucktail, Blue Bucktail,
Eyes: Adhesive Eyes
Glue: 5 minute epoxy, Micro Brushes

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Drink free beer, help shape National TU’s direction at meeting Weds

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

At this month’s Trout Unlimited meeting, we’re hosting some employees from TU’s national organization to do some focus group work to help TU develop new ideas for the future.

When: Wednesday, November 10th 7pm
Where: Our new meeting location, upstairs at the Vet’s Club, 1626 Willamette St. Eugene.

happy beer wednesday
(photo by mccun934)

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Posted in Oregon Conservation News, Oregon Fly Fishing Clubs and Events | 3 Comments

Hanging out with my best chums

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Early November is prime time for chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in Oregon. According to ODFW, Oregon’s Coastal Chum population is comprised of 13 historical populations. Eight populations continue to exist, two are presumed to be extinct, and three are extinct. Here is ODFW’s document on Chum salmon distribution. Second in size to only Chinook Salmon, Chums are aggressive, toothy fighters. But they’re very habitat sensitive, as they are limited to the lower sections of coastal rivers.

Here are some photos from a recent party with our chums.

Fishing for chum salmon

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Posted in Oregon Salmon fly fishing | 4 Comments

Caddis Fly Shop Joins Distinguished Burkheimer Dealer Network

Posted on November 7, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Kerry Burkheimer and Chris Daughters

Chris Daughters and Kerry Burkheimer met this fall, part of the important process of getting to know each other and brainstorming a vision of their mutual commitment to the fly fishing industry and their love of fly fishing. That was a lot of territory to cover, and these two guys had a great time. I had the pleasure of sipping coffee and listening to their conversation about Russ Peak’s influence on Kerry’s rod designs and philosophy; steelhead Spey fishing in BC; the world market for high quality cork; the commitment Kerry and Chris share for maintaining strong runs of wild salmon, steelhead and trout in a climate where many would turn strictly to hatchery fish; hand-polished snake guides; the Burkheimer fly rod handle design; Burkheimer single hand fly rods designed for small stream trout fishing, Bonefish, Tarpon, and – egads – even billfish!

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Posted in Fly Fishing Gear Review | Leave a comment

Fall Chinook Report

Posted on November 6, 2010 by Caddisfly

What a fall it is this year. Steelhead still biting well in the Willamette valley, Louver crushing big trout on the Mac, and salmon fishing in full swing on the coast.

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Posted in Oregon Salmon fly fishing | 4 Comments

Bonefishing in the Bahamas, Abaco Island Bahamas

Posted on November 5, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

D on the platform in the marls bonefishing in the bahamas

bonefishing abaco bahamas

We have been lucky to get wonderful weather thus far in the Bahamas. Some amazing days of little or no wind and great visibility have led to good fishing. The video below documents a day of guided fishing in the “Marls” with Jr’s Bonefishing Guide Service. Activity was virtually all day, we started the motor once after arriving to our initial destination. We used Sage 8wt Rods, Nautilus and Sage fly reels, SA bonefish and Rio Bonefish Lines, 10ft 12lbs bonefish leaders and Gotcha style bonefish flies.

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A Fall Classic

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Caddisfly

Fall 2010 020

It was a very special day for Lou. The Giants were having a parade, the sun was out, the Lower Mckenzie was in full fall colors, and oh, the redsides were on the bite!

Fall 2010 008

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Posted in McKenzie River | 4 Comments

Guide advocates moving hatchery summer steelhead into fly water on North Umpqua

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Oregon Fly Fishing Blog

Our pals at Buster Wants to Fish published an anonymous Q&A with a prominent North Umpqua River fly guide who is advocating moving hatchery summer steelhead into the fly water on the North Umpqua. It’s a fascinating interview and you need to read this.

Posted in North Umpqua River Fishing Reports, Oregon Conservation News, Summer Steelhead | 6 Comments