More firsts.

I got to start last week guiding and fishing with one of my close friends, Brett A.  Brett and I have fished together for a few years now, and he has some serious Juju everytime.  You may recognize Brett as the face that took up a bunch of camera time in my summer highlights video, because he caught a crapload of trout in MT this summer.  This winter we spent 2.95 days swinging flies for winter fish and were certainly rewarded.  The first fish hooked between us gave Brett a good yank, started pulling line off of the reel, and then cracked the 15lbs like it was nothing.  The fish pictured above was Brett's first swung winter steelhead.  A hatchery fish, it was certainly not the beast that punched his 15lbs earlier in the day, but it crushed the fly, jumped around, and did all that a steelhead is supposed to.  Brett and I were fishing together for his first steelhead, his first swung steelhead, and now his first swung winter steelhead, so the juju continues!

A gorgeous fish from the .05 fishing.

The Tongass: Americas Salmon Forest

Check out this new site about the Tongass in Alaska.  As both a fishing guide, and having a background in land use planning, I find this issue particularly interesting, and a great opportunity to protect some really unique land.   The Tongass is located in S.E. Alaska, and at 17 million acres is the country's largest national forrest.   The Tongass as described above is an incredibly rich resource, and the "Tongass 77" are the 77 most valuable streams to protect in the national forrest.  The new site is also running a blog as well that will keep you up-to-date on the "Tongass 77"

Here is what Tim Bristol, TU AK Director, has to say:

“The Tongass is America’s salmon forest and one of the few places in the world where wild salmon and trout still thrive. Some 65 percent of  Tongass salmon and trout habitat is not Congressionally protected at the watershed scale, and is currently open to development activities that could harm fish. It’s time for Congress to better protect the richest resource of the Tongass: wild salmon.”

- Tim Bristol, Trout Unlimited, Alaska Program Director

A preacher, a cop and a fishing guide....

The Preacher getting it done!

Although the headline suggests a good Joke, it was actually the combination of anglers I had in the boat last weekend.  Wes, who married a good high shcool friend of mine, is a lutheran preacher from "The Eastside" (not to be confused with the 509).  We have been trying to get together to hang out, and ideally fish, for a couple of years now.  With my schedule as a transient fishing guide and Wes' responsibilities at work and as a new dad we never connected until this past weekend.  Wes drug his friend Jeremiah, an Oregon State Trooper, along for the ride.

We had one day of fishing on the calendar, and for winter steelhead this is often risky because of the rapidly changing conditions.  Friday, the day before we fished, was a cold constant-drip day that saw the rivers rise and brown and become unfishable by noon.  A quick call to Wes confirmed that they had already arrived, and were fishing as well.  If nothing else we were going to be able to hang out and talk fishing, if the rivers wouldn't allow us to do the real thing.

On the morning of fishing a check of the flows showed that the river levels were very high, but if they were clear enough we would be able to fish.  A short drive to the river confirmed our hopes, and we threw the boat in and were on our way.  Not long into our day (We'll say 4th good run) Wes connected and put his first steelhead on the beach.  A beauty of about ten pounds it was great to see the smiles and excitement that a first steelhead brings to an angler.

Definitely not officer Farva

After 8 more hours of a couple whities and fruitless casts, Jeremiah got his first steelhead within site of the get-out.  Jeremiah's hatchery fish definitely gave him the same excitement that Wes enjoyed at the very beginning of our float, and both had now caught their first steelhead.  Anymore I rarely get to fish with anglers who have never caught a steelhead, and it was awesome to be reminded how exciting it is to put that first fish in the net.  It definitely wont be 3 years before Wes and I get together and fish again.

The cost of a steelhead.

Saw these poor guys this morning at Jack's Fish Spot in Pike's place market.  Quinalt Fish.  Wild. Disrespected in an icy display with a wildly disrespectful price.

Feel the load

Joey getting back on that pogo stick

Last week we had the Joey Mac group out at the Bogi House, and after getting perfect conditions last year, they got back to normal with questionable water conditions, a blow out day, and great fishing.  I got to paddle Santa around all week, which is always hilarious and a great time.  This year Joey brought some fresh meat as well, and as always they were great guys and excellent anglers.  There was certainly no better way to kick off the season and warm up the Bogi House.

Get Back!

Like guiding, but different.

This winter I was fortunate to be the TB Jr. High boys hoops coach, and we just finished our season last night with a loss and a win against Ennis(two teams).  My first head coaching gig was a blast, and rewarding on many different levels. There are a lot of similarities between guiding and coaching, and it was a great way to spend my winter when I would normally be bored and harassing Rooster at the shop several hours a day.  Back to fishing this Friday, and posts more than once every two weeks.

Team Jergens Stickers!

Got in a batch of limited run Team Jergens stickers from build-a-sign last week, which feature our logo as well as some of my finest clip-art skills.  The sticker is the graphic you see above, set on a black background in a 4x4" square. If you are not familiar with what Team Jergens is, here is a definition that was put together by one of the founding members.  I've got about 20 of them to give away, drop me an email to joe@evoanglers.com I'll get one headed your way!