Its cold. Officially to cold for shorts. I said it.

The offseason is slow. Most mornings during the trout season; its get up and go, guide, eat, sleep, do it again. You squeeze everything into and around the guide days.

This time of the year mornings are a bit more relaxed. Wake up around 8 or 9. Sometimes 10. Start coffee amd throw on the music. I putter around in the mornings. Read news, catch up on emails and social media.

Coffee is ready. I talk to my kids. I would typically hang outside and enjoy my coffee. But its too damn cold so I have to sit inside. I am surprised how busy I actually am this offseason.

I finish my coffee, do yoga. And then finish getting ready for the day. A trout bum day doesn’t typically start until 10 or 11. I set aside a few hours a day for fly tying. Orders are starting to roll in so I will cram more flies in before leaving for a week or two for winter steelheading.

The trick to the offseason is to settle into that slower pace. It isn’t always easy. Going from high energy, go go go, constant people interaction, to just kinda being a loner. I haven’t had the experience of living with another guide and trout bum during the offseason. Having two cabin fever stricken anglers under one roof can get silly. With no big TV or electronics, or other things to ward off boredom…its mostly a lot of late mornings, late nights, flies tied, trips planned and replanned, coffee drank, and stories swapped.

You have to enjoy it. Take the respite even if you don’t really want it. The offseason isn’t as glamorous as the trout season or fishing damn near everyday…but you work your ass off so you can enjoy the time off river. It usually only lasts 10 days maybe 2 weeks before I find myself outside or wanting to be out. Despite the cold. There is skiing soon…but I like fish more.

Trout Bum mornings are pretty slow and laid back. Just easing into the cold winter days every morning. That’ll all change when we head west to the OP and get back on river time. But until then…just enjoying the offseason for what it is, and anticipating the next riverside day.

Tamarack.

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Published by tamaracksguideservice

I have been fishing the Yakima River and its surrounding tributaries, creeks, and lakes for 10 years. I have been tying flies specific to this river for 10 years as well. I have guided not only the river but also many of the hiking and mountaineering trails in the area and fished some of the more remote lakes and streams. I love to fish the Yakima River and have been running my driftboat here for 5 years. I guide a little differently than the other services here and have a slightly different philosophy on guided fishing trips. Its all about the experience, and while I can't promise there will always be cooperative trout, there will always be good times. I learned from some of the greatest anglers the Yakima has both on the water and at the vise and I guide to share and pass on that knowledge and expertise so others can enjoy this river as much as I do. I love to teach people to fish, I love to teach people how to read the river, and I love showing people the beauty and art of fly fishing. My service is a bit cheaper but that is because I have no shop taking a percentage. I use a lot of my own fly designs and patterns that no other guide has and have spent the past 10 years fine tuning my tying and patterns specific to this river. I have flies, leaders, tippets, and fly rods and reels, and always welcome anglers to bring their own gear. If you need waders and boots I can arrange for a rental. I support my local fly shop for my trips as well as it is important to me that our local shops stay open. When you take a trip with me it all about fishing and the experiences that happen along the river. I love getting my clients to have great moments with our trout here. Ask me all the questions you can, I want to teach as much as you want to learn. Whether you are an experienced angler or brand new to the sport I love sharing this river with people. I guide the Yakima River and many other secret waters in the area. When you give me a call I will ask you lots of questions as I want to make sure you have the best experience possible while chasing the trout we have here. Whether its a guided river float or a hike and fish, or a walk and wade to the secret places, I can help make your fly fishing experience memorable and fun. Give me a call today and lets set up a time to go fishing.

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