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05/18/14

fly fishing and not so fly fishing the northwest:

fun in the great northwest.



let's get back to business with another blast from the past...


clay fishing a somewhat illegal area.  back in the day i was determined to fish every inch of oahu that bones could be caught with a fly rod.  this quest lead me to some interesting places and experiences.  circa 1997.


just got back… from yet another epic adventure to the northwest.  in short, fishing was tough with a capital “T”.  i knew it would be.  may is kind of an in between month for steelheading on many rivers in the northwest.  it is a little late for winter steelhead and a little early for summer steelies.  most fly fishers have already changed their focus to trout leaving the remaining steel to the die hards.  in addition the river levels were not ideal for most of the days that i fished.  the upside was that there were both summer and winter steelhead in the rivers, just not a whole lot.  this left many great runs open for the hard core or the guy just looking to swing a fly.


i fished a total of five days on various rivers like the clackamas, sandy, and north santiam with friends harold and hayley.  i hooked one summer steelhead (about a seven pound fish) that ran between my buddy harold’s legs, while he was trying to land it and cut my tippet.  that was it aside from another suspicious pull and about a bazillion casts and as many swings.  that was all fine with me as i had gone on this particular trip to keep my river spey casting skills sharp for the fall.  by the end of day five i had accomplished that and improved my spey casting another notch or two (a bazillion casts will do that).  i also had a run in with a hot steelie as a bonus.  when i had my fill of swinging, i then cruised up to the seattle area and laid low there for another week.  didn’t fish.  just took a break, hung out, and saw some really cool stuff around town.  it was great.  really really great.


since returning i have not had a chance to get back out on our island waters.  from what i’ve heard though fishing around here has been quite good in my absence.  i guess that’s about all she wrote for now.  i’ll get back on the water this week to see what’s what around here.  how can i be sure… ‘cause i’m back! 


@pdx.  how you can tell that the baggage claim conveyor is the one for the flight from honolulu.  must have carried on the left side.


the sandy river.


the clackamas river.


a very ambitious trout.


snagged on the swing.  the fly is as big as the fish.


harold pounding a clackamas run.


lizard.


you know you're in the northwest when...


upcoming steelheader hayley on the sandy.


swinging in the rain... just swinging in the rain.


canadian geese and a crap load of young'uns on the clack.


then it was off to seattle… where, among other ridiculously awesome things, i checked out the chihuly garden and glass exhibit.  there was this one part of the exhibit with sea life inspired pieces that was, not surprisingly, my favorite.


the chihuly garden and glass in seattle.  cool stuff.


puhi (eels).


giant clam or giant taco salad tortilla bowl?


some really cool sketches for the octopus pieces.


tako (octopus) my favorite.


then it was once again time to leave my beloved nw.  before i left i found this exhibit for the 2011 japan earthquake and tsunami victims in the portland airport.


arya stark from "game of thrones" on the sandy river.  another epic trip to my favorite place on earth is in the books.  i absolutely can't wait to get back there for more good times.


clay.


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