Month: November 2017

This off-season I have been putting together an Alaska Adventure for late Summer 2018.  Its something I have been looking forward too since my last stint in Alaska.  Alaska is amazing, and I am excited to host a handful of my clients on a week long adventure of fishing for multiple species throughout the wilds.

Now, I ain’t your fancy pants kinda guide, we get after it, we rough it, and we do things ourselves.  If you’ve gone on a trip with me I am very hands on and we work as a team.  Alaska will be no different, just with a bigger group.  The lodge I have selected is exactly what I would be looking for as a client.  A Do It Yourself, sleep in cabins, on an island in the middle of the river, with boats to access the area, and a communal kitchen so we can all enjoy the time in between fishing over good food!

Seasons On the Fly Lodge is situated on the Kvichak River.  You can only get there by boat.  It sleeps 8 comfortably and there is hot water and a fully functioning kitchen.  This is awesome as if you have ever been to AK, just eating up there can get real expensive.  Did you know orange juice is like $15 a gallon up there!  The lodge gives a few creature comforts, but its all about getting after it…hard.  So its isn’t some 5 star resort, its Alaska, the way its meant to be.  We will have access to Hog Island Skiffs to use to access water on our own.  We will be hiring a guide for a day or two as well.  The lodge and boasts several species of fish to chase including, Grayling, Big ol Rainbow, Northern Pike, and of course a few species of Salmon…silvers and sockeye….mmmmm.

The lodge is located on the Kvichak River south of Iguigig.  We will fly into Anchorage then fly into Iguigig where we will be picked up via boat and taken to the lodge.  We will be bringing in most of our food as well as gear to save on costs.  The nice thing about this is I will be taking care of all the leg work for those who fill the 8 spots.  I will handle everything and have packets and itineraries for everyone.  I will set up flights, we will put together a menu and gear list and make sure everyone is covered, all clients have to do is show up, enjoy the ride, and fish.

A week stay per person is $2995.00.  I will have a packet ready shortly with details on costs for food, airfare, and the other pertinent things for an Alaska Adventure.  Considering the average price for a week trip in AK is around $10,000, this is easier to manage.  That base price includes access to boats and fuel for each day of fishing as well, which is awesome.  Last time I was in AK just getting around and eating got expensive…damn fish live where only boats and float planes can go.

I’ve spend the better part of the month looking for places that would offer an Alaska Experience that I as a guide and business owner could be comfortable with sharing with clients.  I also have several good references on the lodge from people I have fished with for years and have been told time and time again a DIY place with access to boats and fishing on foot is always a more rewarding experience.  Not being tied down to guided only stuff is a huge thing in AK.

So, Alaska 2018 is happening!  I have 8 spots open and they will fill up fast.  Many clients have known this was coming.  The lodge takes Deposits in January.  So I would like to get everything locked in by December 20th in terms of commitments.  My wife and I are working on the food and gear lists and budgets as well as airfare.

If taking a week long Do It Yourself Alaska Fishing Trip with my beardy face sounds like something you would like to do…please fill out a guided trip inquiry here on the website or call me directly.  I am wicked stoked for this guys, and I know a handful of clients have been patiently waiting for details on this.  Below is the link to the lodge’s website.  You can contact me with any questions.

Seasons on the Fly Lodge

Thanks everyone,

Looking forward to a new Adventure!

Tamarack

I’ll give the cliche blog post here on Thanksgiving Day. I am thankful for my family. My wife and children are something I talk about a lot in the boat, and if you’ve done an upper river float with me you may have met them during shuttles or at the end the day. Without them I wouldn’t be a guide.

I get asked what drives me all the time? What gives me all the energy I seem to have in unlimited supply? It all comes back to my lady and those little turds we’ve created. There’s are a few things that keep me going but my family is by far the biggest determining factor.

I have struggled with depression, unemployment, being overweight and homelessness, and through it all my lady has been there for me, dealing with me, pushing me, keeping me sane. My kids have grown up somehow, without knowing the struggles I had growing up, despite not having a home and being nomadic for a time. Through it all they have been amazing while their mother and I have done our best to make a life for them; our kids are strong, well mannered, and happy…and for someone like me who looks back on his life and doesn’t see a lot of happiness it’s one of the most important things I can provide for my family…happiness. Which means I have to be happy to. It’s an all or nothing kind of thing in our house. We are all part of this lifestyle or none of us are.

Our lifestyle is pretty laid back but it’s a team effort. Every trip I run I go through my routine prepping. Every trip my family also has a routine. My wife, gets up before I do and gets the kids up for school. Around the time she has the youngest settled, she starts making my lunches for the day. I haven’t made a lunch for my clients in 3 years because Hannah is up every morning making sure I don’t have to worry about it while I get ready for the work day. She makes this entire operation possible.

When she’s done with that and I leave her for the day she makes sure that our house and kids are in order while I’m out chasin trout with clients. Not an easy job. When our kids get home from school she makes sure their homework is done, she keeps them fed, and on the long days of the summer when I’m not off until dark:30 she puts the kids to bed and ready to do it again the next day.

When I get home she’s there ready to hear all about the day. Hannah probably knows more about fishing through association than anyone I know. We don’t get to fish together during this time in our lives as we’ve got adult stuff to take care of instead of just being trout bums. We do look forward to our late 40’s when our kids will be gone and we can enjoy each other and the pursuit of fish with fly and rod together more.

We planned it that way. Get kids out of the way when we were young and energetic, and we will enjoy our careers and lives together as we work into our middle and older age. In all reality the only reason my ass gets outta bed each morning and gets that boat in the water is because 3 years ago my wife told me to do it. She told me to chase trout when I was at my lowest because she knew what it would do to me, since we were 17 Hannah has always known me better than anyone, she’s truthfully always right, especially when it comes to important life stuff. She’s the best partner both off and on water and I’d rather spend every day with her fishing than any one else.

I don’t work without her, and my kids. They are what drives me, gives me motivation, and gives me energy. They are the behind the scenes but make no mistake this operation only happens with them. When you pay me and tip me that money goes right to them. It’s a true family run business meaning the family makes it run. Someday I hope t guide alongside one or all my children, and I look forward to the days when I get to spend my time riverside with my kids and lady. I’m thankful for them, everyday not just today.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. My whole family is thankful to those who take trips with me and help us make this fly angler life possible. Thank you…now…is it trout season yet?

Tamarack

Whenever I think of the word intimidation, I see the scene of the little gangly kid in The Little Giants prepping himself for the game game. Did I just show my age? Anyway, intimidation is something that I don’t see on a personal level in trout fishing too much anymore, and I still search out quarry that amaze and strike me with utter fear, admiration, and fulfillment. But that’s between angler and fish, and every good angler seeks out those fish that haunt them…even without ever casting a fly to them.

Intimidation between anglers…between professionals and novice alike; it used to be rampant in the industry when I first started. Hell my entire initiation into the guide world was through those old school, boys club, F with the new guy, bullshit that turned me off to the whole damn thing in the first place. If you’ve met me you know I’m not like that…aside from the occasional shenanigan or two. As I’ve gotten older, and better at fly fishing and guiding, I guess I’ve risen above all that crap. It annoys me to this day when I see it though.

I see it less than I did but it’s still there. I see it in two places mostly, with newbies, and women. It’s sad really, because these demographics are the two most growing factors in fly fishing right now. There are more young people and more women who participate in fly fishing than ever…EVER. Where intimidation seems to still be a huge issue like most things is on social media. I see it on my Instagram feed and FB stuff all the time. It’s happened to good friends of mine, fellow guides, tiers, weekend warriors, first timers, and Trout bums. It’s stupid and you’re kind of an asshat for doing it…just saying.

I let the fish and the river do all the intimidating I need. Tricky fish will equalize everyone. So will the river. Doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing it, how many big fish you’ve landed…the river and the fish don’t care. I’ve put a fly rod in the hand of someone who’s never cast before and had them trick, play, and land trophy sized trout…I’ve done it lots of times truthfully. And it’s a team effort guiding. By the end of the day if I’ve done my job right you can come back out on your own and be successful.

But when I see intimidation on the river or on social media it really strikes me as so out of place in fly fishing. I fish with so many people and I hear stories of not so great encounters that honestly just make me feel for people. I’ve been there. It sucks and it makes you not wanna fish. And that’s the crummy part. Because in a lot of cases where you feel intimidated it’s because you’re unwelcome, and that’s not cool because damnit…fly fishing is a community, and that’s now you treat fellow anglers.

I’ve had conversations this season and just in the past few weeks with people about this very issue. This bullying, because that’s what it is. I always tell my clients if you walk into a shop or talk to another angler and feel intimidated or unwelcome or like you’re not worth their time…find another shop, or walk over to the next angler.

It’s one thing to critique and there is a time and place for it, and there are times when I get heated or upset but it’s all just fishing, remember that. I’ll yell, curse, get on people about setting the damn hook…ya know normal things. But I’ve always felt that fly fishing should be open and welcoming to anglers. No matter the skill level. I strive to make sure that I make fly fishing fun, as a guide I’m there to introduce people to it all, and I want that experience to be wicked awesome. If you’ve done it all before, you know what’s up.

So for those of you out there that feel intimidated, or have been turned off to fly fishing because of it…don’t let that it get ya down. There are always gonna be asshats out there…my rule is let them be asshats. If you feel like you’re getting the ring-around, or you’ve just had a crappy experience, fly fishing is worth it so get back after it. Just ignore that stuff and find fellow anglers that will support you in your pursuit of chasing fish with flies. We all started out somewhere, good anglers will share what they know because fly fishing is just more than fishing.

Tamarack

Well anglers, the end of the season is here.  I took my last trip on October 26th, after 150 plus guide trips this season and man was it a good season.  Of course I would like to thank everyone that came out and took a trip with me and supported the little guy with no shop or big operation.  My clients fuel my passion for fly fishing and I hope that I inspire them to chase fish outside of the handful of trips they take with me.

So the end of the season is here…and I am already bored.  If you’ve spent any time with me on the water you’ll now I am a high energy busy body.  If you’ve hung out with me at the house on a day off you know that I don’t like to sit still and being couch locked only has its appeal for a few days before I become restless.

I used to chase mountains.  Their peaks, their trails, the outcroppings overlooking the world; the trees that covered them and the wildlife that call them home, I used to adventure far and wide searching for those moments of pure awesome, the moments that area concoction of fear, intimidation, excitement, adrenaline, euphoria, and wonder.  The mountains called to me and I would answer.  After so many miles and too many accidents I stopped chasing the tops of mountains and decided to go for fish once again.  Trout specifically, but these days I find that trout are presenting less of a challenge to me.  Much like the mountains lost their allure, trout have lost their shine for me personally, and while they still present a challenge for me as a guide, I find that as I have gotten older I have a need for higher doses of awesome in my life.

This is why this will be my last season only working the Yakima River.  I will always guide the Yakima, it is home and I have just about maxed out my days here.  With only around 170 days of workable river and weather conditions, I have tapped out here on the homewater.  So its time to add and expand.  I need something new to chase.  I need something that intimidates me, scares me, makes my whole body pulse with adrenaline…because at heart…I am still an adrenaline junky.  Something I can tap clients into and have them get the same sensations and fulfillment from angling with fly and rod.

I have chased salmon and steel, but in reality they are either just big sea run trout…or hatchery bred cows that serve only one purpose…which is to fuel a commercial fishing market that has been floundering for years.  And after spending some time on the west side again this past year, and researching into what fishing is like out here in Washington for salmon and steel…it just doesn’t appeal to me.  Especially fishing on the gear/bait saturated side of the state when you only want to swing for illusive fish.  Yes I am elitist and I know it.  
Freshwater species are no longer on my radar for new things.  I have the southern warm waters on my mind.  I have slowly begun delving into the world of Redfish, Tarpon, Snook, and other fish that frequent warm coastal southern waters and have a hankering for big flies on big rods.  Something that is out of my comfort zone, something I know little about, but that passion and desire to learn, explore, and my need for a new adventure are all driving me south.  This will be my last winter bored as I have plans to make the trek south this spring and then make semi annual trips south chasing new fish species and hopefully guide anglers for those fish in the near future.  That being said I still have this winter to deal with.

This winter I will be revamping my business.  New logo, new media content, new YouTube channel with fishing vids but also the lifestyle side of things, which is what I get more and more requests for.  I will also…be tying this winter.  Here over the next week or two I will have a select handful of my personal patterns up for sale throughout the season.  I am also looking for a place to teach fly tying this winter and will have dates for classes available for sign up as soon as that comes through.  Finally, I will be doing live videos of tying sessions this winter as well.  So look for scheduled tying events and join me.

The last thing I am currently prepping for next season already is an ALASKA ADVENTURE!  I am currently looking at several lodges in Alaska for a week long trip with clients and myself to chase those crazy Alaska fish.  It has been years since I have been to Alaska and I am looking forward to spending time with clients in that wild place once again.  So keep an eye out for info on an Alaska Trip with my beardy face for next summer as I finish up the details.

So there we go.  I have had a week off, I’m already bored, and we literally just got done.  The blogging will kick back up here this week and I will have one out once a week if not more for the off season.  I will have tying classes available as soon as I lock down an area to do them in.  I will have flies up for sale on the website, instagram and FB for anglers.  A new revamp of the businesses media and outreach is also happening.  Plus, and Alaska Adventure with clients next summer to break up the trout fishing and give clients something new and exciting to try.  When the fishing stops the business has gotta keep moving and I don’t like to sit still.

I hope to see a few of you out there on the west side chasing unicorns and that with something other than a 5wt.  Thanks again everyone who came out and I can’t wait to get back to it next season, and to add and expand and make the adventure bigger and better!  Thanks again.  See ya out there anglers.

 

Tamarack