Man its wet outside. I hope everyone is safe while the rivers crest and things simmer down after this crazy atmospheric river we have had. Here in Gig Harbor it has been very wet but otherwise fine. We hunkered down during it. The Yakima and the tribs got pretty angry topping out around 18 grand in cfs. Which is crazy big!
The winter offseason has been anything but. As always I am honest and up front in these bloggings on the webasphere. The stress of the current state of stuff is just kicking the shit out of small business right now. Across the board it has just kicked the shit out of us. Combined Kristen and I lost roughly $45,000 due to the state of the things. Its not just one thing to point to either. We also had a drought this year that sucked. I work in the outdoor travel industry, tourism, and its just been hit hard. Losing money sucks, and costs of things have only gone up on the day to day, so the last season was rough as we get to the midpoint of the offseason.
That being said, and all the doom and gloom aside. And let’s just not talk about the water levels last season; except I will say this…it was very dry last year, and nature swings really hard now. This is what that looks like. Moving on.
This offseason has opened up the opportunity to put some serious work into Searun Cutthroat Trout and Puget Sound, along with working towards the captains license. It’s a slow process for me. I have a healthy fear of large bodies of water and small fortunes wrapped into tiny boats. I am also overly cautious these days, I’ve had plenty of adrenaline thank you, I am here to make money and keep everything and everyone safe. Motor boats are just a whole different thing that I had zero experience with prior to this boat I have now. So this winter and my partner have helped push and drive the fishing and learning this winter.
The sound is amazing. After seeing the salt in Florida and never really enjoying it. Puget Sound is very different and much more my speed. Its slower on the sound, and quiet. I do not care for the city…like at all. Seattle is also loud. All cities are loud, but the west side metropolis area is condensed and loud. It is gorgeous though. I have seen a fare number of the large cities in the country and the West Side is very pretty. Organized a bit like Orlando Florida, but…still pretty skyline, Rainer makes a huge impact, the jagged edges of the sound dotted with houses up the ridiculous hillsides. It is a very unique and chill place. The waterways of the sound are less intimidating than Florida or even Michigan but they still are very foreign and unfamiliar to me.
As we get closer to Christmas I am switching gears to Steelhead. I haven’t guided them in a while but chasing them the past two years has slightly…I say slightly reignited that want to chase them. Clients have been asking for a while so we will see if it works out to be a regular thing. Living over on this side made it much easier to say yet to throwing some dates up for guide trips in the late winter before the spring season starts on the Yakima. I am already getting bored this winter and am ready for the season to start. Steelhead gets things rolling a bit earlier for me and alleviates some of the stress of 2025.
I do love the Olympic Peninsula, yes its wet, but damnit it quiet….no one is over there! Except for fishing. The epitome of out of the way is the real appeal of Forks and the OP in general. To be able to share that space with clients is something I have held off long enough. To be able to learn and cast; while maybe getting a grab in one of the most amazing spaces to swing a steelhead is something every angler should give a try. And to experience the OP in all its wet misty soft quiet awesomeness.
I have had the pleasure of interacting with OP steelhead on several occasions in my younger days. I am looking forward to being there with clients and helping hopefully facilitate that interaction with them. Steelheading, in my opinion is best experienced in a small group. It is better as a team sport, each encounter celebrated, each run equally distributed, flies, heads, tactics are discussed in between sets. Its a lot better than standing in the run in the suck by your lonesome freezing your tootsies off while it rains sideways or up.
The OP is a good time and a welcome respite from the dreary slow offseason. It scratches that fishing itch before the trout season comes along in mid to late March.
The move over here has been a nice change of pace. I am a bit of a homebody and hibernater in the winter months. The soggy windy days spent in the camper are broken up by days on the sound that open up a world of fishing that not many seem to be partaking in. The solitude of the sound has been surprising and very appreciated. The occasional ferry wake or fancier Yacht, maybe a fishing boat motors by, crabbers on the weekends, a sailboat or two, kayaker in the bay, its enjoyable and feels like the place is all mine.
Dates are up on on the website, Steelhead and Spring Trout. It is getting full already with no weekend left open except the first one in March. The water is crazy right now but that is good news for the spring with lots of new spaces for trout and new lines to find fish in. Hope everyone is safe during these high water events. Hope to see you riverside this season as things settle down.
Well…the slowdown finally hit us. The summer has been a bit of a bust which isn’t anything new. With odd water levels, inconsistent conditions, hot weather hitting early, a lot more wind than normal the summer has been funky to say the least.
August is now here. The reservoirs are almost empty, we have the whole month of August still to get through, and the 85 plus degree days are going to hit us soon. Hoot owl is recommended but not required….yet. The water levels are dropping every day, and I expect the river to get smaller, hotter, and more busy with non fishing recreators as the heat comes in more.
Now its not all doom and gloom anglers. This isn’t the first drought this river has had to get through. I do have concerns for late August and September with the hot weather and low water levels coming But again, not the first time. That is why I give the river a break in the summer. I switch over to Bass and Carp and let the river be. I want it to be good for September and October. The early am grind for beating the heat, pressured and hot and tired fish that just want a break, and a river that just isn’t having it this summer in a lot of ways. It happens, rivers are finicky that way, and across the west the summer heat, low water, drought conditions, hoot owl restrictions are all over. It is now our turn.
The bass and carp fishing is a nice change of pace. Its a little bit more of a drive but makes up for it with the change in scenery, different kind of fishing, and a new experience.
But I also know things are tight right now. They are tight for us too. Everyone I talk to says similar things. I hold my breath as we come into August because the fear of cancellations on top of light bookings is there. I am always honest and up front anglers. Shit gets tough. This isn’t my first rodeo with turmoil, upheaval, and unprecedented shit. It’s been an uphill battle since covid. I have been at this long enough to see the trends, how people spend money, how things affect their want or ability to spend money. I work with people that are way smarter than me and work in a plethora of fields from construction, finance, tech, real estate, aerospace, agriculture, mechanics, education, healthcare, and so man others. All sorts, all income levels, all walks of life. The people that fish are just regular people that share this silly thing we enjoy with fish. I get to hear from these people, river time is therapy time for most people and they let me know. The boat is and always will be a safe space. The river takes what you give it and sends it down yonder. I just help get it out a lot of the time. Sometimes through fishing but most of the time, and when things are funky, scary, or uncomfortable, people just want to talk.
This job is still about people. Fishing is secondary. I find myself closing off, not going out, hunkering down. It puts you down, anytime there is downturn post covid it puts me in a depressive state. I have not doing anything. When it is mostly out of your control it is even harder to push through. I know others are doing that. I miss connecting with people. Its not the lack of fish…its the lack of people interactions this season. Some years its so busy and people heavy it burns you out. Other years its the opposite. With all the crazy in our world right now, the positive and shared connections with people seem to be the most important right now.
We need to be connecting and sharing experiences with each other during this time. We are all collectively…again…sharing the turmoil in our home right now. I’d rather share it riverside with anglers that need to feel that connection as well. To unplug from one world and connect to the real one. The world out here doing its thing without us. It feels like the summer of covid. Tight and uncomfortable, skating by with not quite enough. That’s just the truth. The work has only increased on the back end. Constantly brainstorming, trying pivoting. The same things that worked last year and the year before ain’t working this year. It has been hard to keep up for my trout bummy ass. That is why I have set changes in motion for next year to help and Kristen and I will be working together in a larger capacity. But that work is constant and always changing. Thankfully the guide work takes care of itself but at the end of the day its about butts in boat seats.
Being honest and open about things is the best approach for most situations in my opinion. I need butts in seats just like any other service or tourist industry that needs butts in seats. When people can’t afford it, don’t have time for it, are scared to jump into it, or any other reason that would make anyone think about recreating or doing leisure activities it trickles down. All in this together so to say. And its hard. That’s really all this post is about. Acknowledging that shit is a little out of whack right now and its stressful.
I am right there with ya. Doing my best to get through it and fish when I can.
A fishing trip. A thing all anglers eventually go on. Whether it be a 5 day excursion to Montana, a week in Belize, a few days in Alaska, or just a quick trip down the creek in the back yard. We all go on fishing trips. Some guided, some self lead, others for discovery, some for healing, friendship, solo time, a way to cut loose, unplug, or plug in and check out. We go fishing for various reasons.
These days I fish for fun. It is rare I get to go fish for extended periods of time and what I define as fishing for me may look a lot like boat rowing with a few casts interspersed. I fish water I like, fish I see, drifts I want fish to eat from. I see areas and want to see if I can decipher the puzzle. Can I become a part of that bubble line for a split second? Will it be long enough to trick or entice the creatures lurking within? What answer will it yield? I look for things on water that make my mind think like that…then I want to fish it.
I think less on the fishing of the trip and more on the overarching vibe and feel of the trip. Fish are secondary these days. The windy backroads through the Mustard Grass as the sun sets. The smell of the trees as we venture further up into the mountains. The looks from my partner as we get closer to our destination. The familiar faces and sounds of the little riverside town that everyone remembers me in. The campfire scents, the waves from fellow anglers, the taste of a beer after a good fish is landed. The trip is more than just fish.
The fish from trips these days are of course awesome and amazing encounters. But a lot of them are kept to those that were there on trips these days. My work is fishing, rowing, content, reports, emails, photos, text messages, and the last thing I want to do is be on that kind of grind when I fish for myself. So less pictures these days, more time in the moment. Dissecting how that fish ate, why this fish didn’t get landed, can we make this happen in this kind of water? Fish on trips for me are more about what can we accomplish in the space and less about the fish getting landed. I like landing fish still, but sometimes you just want to see if you can delve into that river world in fun an interesting ways just to see what happens. This trip we had lots of those. Like the large trout I saw feed and then was able to recreate the drift 20 minutes later and trick it. Playing it on 5x to the boat at anchor wasn’t the goal, just to see if I could get that fish to do the same thing I saw him do naturally.
Or throwing a reversal with the boat in one of our favorite bends and my partner hucking steamers back upstream into heavy current gettting the same giant cutty to slam the thing twice. Didn’t land it, which would have been cool, but being able to get the biggest nastiest fish in there to hunt and kill a fly was the goal. Or when we forgot our rain gear, it decided to dump for an hour and half and we made a riverside fire under a big fir tree and waited it out while everyone else floated by in the suck. The vibes were immaculate, when the rain quit, we were dry, warm, and the river was ours. Big fish came out to play and we were the only ones around. Things like that are what I take from fishing trips these day. Not the fish landed.
Spending time with my partner as she explores, discovers and improves her angling skills. The two of us learning and teaching each other. The random people coming up to us in camp to talk trout, or old friends that swing by because they too are on a fishing trip. The total and complete lack of technology while fishing. No service, no notifications, no one to text or email. Just quiet simplicity. These days that the main goal of my fishing trips. Quiet simplicity on a trouty river, with my dog and partner, unplugged from the world, and in tune with reality.
I find that guiding is broken into 3 parts. Fishing, Rowing, People. The Fishing part is pretty straight forward, that being said; a good angler does not make a good guide, and a good guide does not need to be a good angler.
A guide is first and foremost…a teacher. Now fly fishing has this thing about fish that becomes the dominating factor. I had the opportunity to guide other things before fly fishing. Skiing, hiking ,rafting, paddling, camping, and a dash of climbing. There is only things to teach people so they don’t die, skills to succeed, how to do the activity well enough to enjoy it, and to guide the participants along the way through experiences, teaching, and educating them. There is a craft to being a good guide. I dare say, for a fly fishing guide, the ability to catch fish yourself is the least important factor.
Understanding fishing is different than fishing. Theory and practice so to say. I can understand physics and never go to space, or play an instrument well but not write or even be able to read music. I happen to be a decent angler and a good guide. Also can play an instrument and can’t read music so…
Understanding fishing, the gear, techniques, waterways, all of that is necessary. Being able to apply those skills not so much. I would say, as a guide I fish quite a bit less. But I also fished a lot before I was a guide. Being able to teach those skills well is better than being able to apply those skills as an expert. Does a guide need to practice, yes. All the time, honing and tuning the craft is part of understanding the fishing part of guiding. I am always practicing, it may look like fishing sometimes but its typically, almost always, for work. I will be the first to admit I am not the best angler, not even close. Nor do I want to be. Do I want to be a good guide, maybe even one of the better ones…sure.
Rowing, the second part of guiding for me. Rowing requires the basic physical ability to move a boat on the water with oars. But to be good at it, understanding how a river works, moves, breaths, reacts, and how to move a boat in that space for fishing is entirely different. Anyone can learn quickly how to not die in a raft of drift boat. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be river rafting and boat rentals. Rowing one with an understanding of how to use the river to the advantage of anglers, in relation to how fish move throughout a river, and the angles, timing, vectors, speed, and all the things in between makes for a great guide. Confidence in the ability to use a drift boat or raft as a tool for fishing on a performance and professional level. Not just to steer and make it downstream. Experience is the best way to come by it. Time on the water, and lots of different water. It is really just time. There are some classes, I teach lessons on it. But after a while, it really comes down to repetition and practice. Not everyone is out here learning to row to be a guide. Most just want to enjoy their boat for the weekend. That’s why I still get hired by boat owners. I have spent a lot of time getting good at rowing for fishing with the mindset it was a key component of being a good guide. Moreso than being a good angler.
People skills are by far the most important thing in guiding. You are taking people out. You can be the fishiest person around and be shit with people. A guide is all about people pleasing. I happen to use education as my base, I look at being a guide as a teacher. A National Park Ranger Guide teaches, educates about the area, wildlife, and issues it faces all while exploring and facilitating the experience for others. Rafting guide, ski guide, climbing guide, they are teaching you a skill, helping you through the experience, and exploring the space with you. Fly fish guiding is no different. Being able to teach, relay information, converse, bond, share time, food, intense moments, slow moments, potentially dangerous moments, emotional charged, self discovering, healing, moments, all sorts of things come when you start taking people out onto the water, into wild spaces, and they interact with fish. It’s mind-boggling the experiences you share with clients over 11 years. They run the gambit of everything you could think of. Truly, just as diverse as people are; so too are their reactions to fly fishing and all in entails.
Being a good guide is about understanding the theory and being adept in the application of the skillsets, understanding people, and facilitating fulfilling and enriching experiences for people. I feel like I have done a good job of that over the years. These days, I teach less, which I would like to improve over the next few seasons. I can always improve my fishing stats, but that comes down to teaching the skills to anglers better, which I am constantly fine-tuning. It gets harder the better your anglers get, I will admit. The stakes are a bit higher when your clients are good anglers and you start being able to get into some advanced stuff. The victories are sweet, but the defeats are debilitating.
With the down time I typically get in the summer I have time to think about the spring season. Reflect, improve, tune up things. I get to plan out and push the rest of the summer. The fall is almost fully booked so there is little to do there except fill in. I get time to blog, tie flies, hang out with my puppy, fish for myself a little, and help my partner with her business. The guide life changes the longer you do it. I find myself fishing a little less, but also working on the back end of things a little less too. I get to guide more, and be on the water with anglers, which is where I have always wanted to be. Just on the water. Not on the computer, or social media, not taking phone calls and answering emails all day. Not having to create crazy content or turn myself into some professional angler. I just want to be on the water. That is where all the good stuff happens. On the water. If I am on the water I am making money. I am doing what I love. I am with people that I want to be with.
Anglers, it has been a while since I posted last. I have been busy. I just finished trip number 34 since I started back in March. My partner and I are very fortunate to be this busy with everything that is going on right now. The world is crazy at the moment…again…but thankfully the riverside life for us has been rather ordinary. I will take ordinary. Its these damn unprecedented times I have had enough of.
I am just a trout guide. And a bummy one at that. I run a bare bones kind of operation. There is little flash or pizazz except for my rather awesome demeanor. I run my own shuttles, you bring your own lunch, I tie most of the flies we use and this season even some of the leaders. Shit is getting a little too expensive even for me.
But all that nonsense aside the fishing has been rather good. As far as springs go. Good size of fish, good numbers of fish. Decent hatches, good flows. Weather hasn’t been too bad. Id say a decent spring.
What kind of ushers out the spring is the Salmon Fly and Caddis Hatch. This season the salmon flies are starting a little early. The 75 degree days last week kind of got them moving around. We have seen a few flying and the fish are just now starting to think about them. They are smashing the nymphs and as the hatch progresses and probably peaks around the 7th of May, they are going to start horking down big orange dry flies. It only lasts about 2 weeks if we are lucky. The trout will literally fill up on them, hunker down to digest, and then they switch over to caddis. Usually right when the flows start to come up.
Now I have a full schedule for the Salmon Flies. I think I have May 2nd open and that is it until May 12th. Then we switch over to caddis.
Caddis is some of my favorite on the Yakima. This river is a Caddis river. It is why this place can sustain the population of trout and other fish that it does. Because there are 13 species of caddis down there and all of these fish eat caddis throughout their lives but especially when they are younger. The Lower Canyon of the Yakima River can and does have blizzard caddis hatches. So thick you cannot see the other side of the river bank. A carpet of them on the surface of the river. And big ass trout snorking them into the evening hours.
Its the first time of the season where I will fish until dark and then fish for 30 more minutes. The largest trout in the river, after finally digesting all those salmon flies, and water temps starting to tick up, making them have to eat more…those big trout will wait until dusk, and then gorge themselves on all the caddis. Puking them up, and eating more. Its gross, and its really fun to fish. Nothing like size 12 and 14 dries, slightly skated in the evening and huge fish rolling and smashing them tight to the bank. Its what the lower canyon fishing is all about. Dry flies until dark:30. Awww ya….the slurps. Holy fuck some of the slurps we get during these two hatches anglers. Its awesome.
I have dates open for this caddis bonanza and weather and flows moving forward look exceptional for fishing. I for one am very excited. I thank all of the anglers who have come out this season already. A lot of new faces this year. As always I appreciate my regulars so much and am looking forward to this season. All the new followers, the website traffic, and the trips. Truly means a lot. Entering my 11 Full Time Season of guiding this year has been all I could ask for. Thank you everyone…now…
Damn…Anglers, I won’t lie. It is hard to focus right now. The world is loud, unpredictable, and the last several weeks have been soaked up by so much of what is happening in the world right now. Damn.
I just got back from a 2 week haul down to Florida and back. Kristen and I picked up our camper and our new puppy. It was a long trip. We had just finished steelheading for 2 weeks when we left. So on top of everything else its been non stop moving and doing stuff the past 4 weeks. The season is here. Its creeping in for me. I haven’t fished yet. Lots of prep work to be done and the boat needs to be patched before I can float it. I also had cancellations this upcoming weekend so it puts a slow down on getting ready. The weather is good. So are the flows. Bugs are starting, fish are moving, the spring is here. Its a bit somber. There is a lot of uneasiness hanging around. A lot of us are worried because the bookings are light, cancellations loom, people’s attention is occupied. For good reason. But to say that things are not funky would be a lie. Its funky.
The river still flows. The trout are unaware, and its less noisy riverside. We have good snow pack this year, the weather is looking favorable for spring fishing…less wind than last year. After travelling and being in and out through most of last year it is a reprieve to be home starting a new season. No matter what happens off river, I am home and get to fish…and that counts for something.
No matter where you sit on things right now…doesn’t really matter. What is happening right now if being felt every where. I just drove through most of the country and travelled even more of it in the past year. No where is not feeling it. Just being in a grocery store and listening to people in Florida, Texas, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, it didn’t matter. Every where a TV was news was on in some form. If you can call it that these days. From gas prices, to eggs, to talking with my friends losing their jobs. It ain’t great anywhere. That sucks, and collectively we are all in it no matter what side of things. I expect things to get harder in my industry. I work in a luxury service that hinges on things like cheap travel, food, imported goods, strong economy, people feeling safe to spend money, things like that. A general good mood is required for people to want to go fishing and pay for it. I can’t blame or get mad or frustrated by any of it. That sense of dread from covid and the sheer lack of work and income is scratching. Not much else to do but wait and see…and go fish.
I am excited to fish this spring. Its a little subdued, this off season has been a trip. My mother going through cancer treatment and coming out the other side positively. Going back to guide life and living out of our camper. My eldest daughter getting ready to become an adult this summer and be around more. Travelling, working, trying to keep things going. I am ready to dig deep into fishing and let it rule over my brain for a while. With a dash of hopelessness, dread, and a sliver of maybe things will be okay I move forward. Chasing fish is about the only thing I am good at anymore these days. If the world is going to be loud I will go where its quiet for a while. Better place to think anyway.
I hope to see you riverside this season. While you are fishing on your own or if you happen to book a trip with me. We all could use a little time away from it all…in the pursuit of a simple trout on the end of a fly.
What a time to be alive another unprecedented time for my old millennial ass. I don’t care where you sit on issues or the state of America but things are exhausting and it holds no weight on this post or fishing. The feeling I have is reminiscent of covid. I have been in business for 11 seasons and this shit effects work on lots of levels. From price increases on gear and goods, to fuel, to taxes, the business side has had a lot of struggles post covid. It has been a constant stress. Business aside, the world is loud right now, and demanding attention like a small toddler. I can’t move through any space without it blasting me in the ears and eyes. Which I know is on purpose and a sick game I am tired of playing. The phone is in airplane mode a lot more lately. Sometimes for most of the day.
This isn’t the first time our brains have been wrapped up in things. Making everyday life seem like a slog. It’s hard to even think about unplugging. I tried my best while steelheading the past 2 weeks. A lot of airplane mode, a lot of actively trying to not think about anything but the fishing, people, and places I was in. But I was still checking in, reading up, and of course talking about it in various ways with everyone around. Everything seems to be on everyone’s mind in some way or another. Its noisy. Even on the water.
Its hard. And all I want to do is go fishing. But I also have to eek out a living. Sometimes the whole make a living thing takes its toll. With the current state of things the last thing people are thinking about is fishing, leisure activities, or spending money. I mean I know eggs are 8 bucks still. And I drive for a living and gas kicks guiding in the teeth. Trust me, all the money saved from the last season went really quick when you got to eat and it costs 3 times as much. There is a reason I don’t offer lunches on trips anymore. The heart of guiding is facilitating a stress free, fun, informative, and enriching experience. It doesn’t need the pomp and floof, the wine and dining; at least in my opinion. It only requires rich interactions with wildlife, nature, and the people sharing them. Something all of us need from time to time. A guide isn’t necessary but a good one will make your experience exactly what you need. As a guide the off river side of the gig can make the on river side hard to perform in if you catch my drift. All the things everyday folks feel and stress about so to do trout bums. Its still a career, a job, what every you want to call it and those things can have impact on work performance. I am fortunate in my career, at least I think so, and I want to do the best job I am capable of, so I do think about those things and how it impacts my work.
It gets harder and harder to just enjoy things when your mind can’t unplug. As a guide a skill I honed early on was helping facilitate that unplug. One of the reasons I am so loud, so boisterous, and so willing to share information and teach is because its a quick and efficient way to get people out of their head and into the fishing. And it doesn’t have to be fishing its just what I do for others. Myself I play video games to unplug, even from fishing. Some people rock climb, ski, hunt, build legos, knit, what have you. I got really good at helping people find that space for themselves through fishing.
Also its fun. We could all use a little fun right now. That’s all we are doing in my boat, is playing outside. At the end of the day just having a few hours of enjoyment, with less cares, something for your brain and body to chew on, and having fun is something we all need to seek out and hold on to.
I know its rough out there for a lot of us. Myself included. Only days away from my season starting and coming out of the offseason I am eager but also apprehensive to start. A lot of things are up in the air and there is a plethora of things happening. All of it has some impact. I tell myself, as I have said for seasons, the fish don’t care about anything other than fishy things. The money, the politics, the people fishing for them, no cares, just existence. A trout gives zero fucks. The more trout like I can be the better I feel. At the end of the day…at least we can go fishing.
I haven’t been on the Olympic Peninsula since 2020. A common theme with the OP and my fishing excursions over the past 20 years. I spent a lot of time bumming around in my early 20s. Caught some amazing fish, learned a lot, and then just kind of lost the bug. You get “Your” lifetime fish and some anglers chase more and some kinda go…okay what’s next. I was the latter. A long time ago now. The year my eldest daughter was born. So…2008, she was born September 2007, and on Feb 20th 2008 I landed my big steelhead. I have a picture of it somewhere. I had a clunky old digital camera that had a timer. Set it up after tailing the fish and snapped a photo. I didn’t even print the photo for another season. Had it framed for a while. Its probably in a box in a storage unit in Idaho. Seems like an age ago. Kind of was.
After that I didn’t steelhead on the OP again until 2010 when I worked for one of the fly shops and got invited. I would chase steel on the Met and Wenatchee, they were close to where I lived. They closed down a few years later and I stopped steelheading altogether. From 2012 to 2018 I didn’t even really think about them. I was in my trout time. I was learning and guiding by 2015 so I didn’t have time. In 2018 I hit the OP again after trying the Grande Ronde and Snake in Idaho and wanted something I was familiar with. Friends and I started venturing out and I encountered a few here and there but rare. 2020 I put serious effort into several trips, landed 3 so was happy. Then Covid, work, and here I am again in 2025 giving it another go in February.
For the next 12 days we chase steel. We reconned areas today. The rain and snows are here. Maybe a bump in flows, a high tide, and they should come through. The water is so low. 1000cfs. We have the boat but we are gonna hit it on foot for now. Patience they don’t have a lot of space right now.
The OP is gorgeous. It is this murky, damp, foggy, charmful place. It reminds me of Upper Peninsula Michigan in so many ways. We walked the the mouth of the Hoh today. Touched the Pacific. In a few weeks we will touch the Atlantic as we grab our house from Florida and head back to Washington for our season starting. Steelheading is our vacation before our very busy season.
I could live out here. Its warm in the winter compared to the other side. There is saltwater with sea run trout and steelhead and spey casting. I like the quiet of it all out here. Cle Elum is getting busy and loud. I miss the woods.
The OP has a special place in most PNW anglers hearts. These short little coastal rivers are true hallowed grounds in the angling world. These fish that run here are special and unlike any others I have every encountered. Truly special. Kristen has never met one, so there is some drive for her to meet one. I am hopeful, things are favorable as the week progresses. And I wouldn’t mind meeting one myself. I am a much different angler these days, wiser, more appreciative, less intense, and I am also indifferent to seeing one. One less encounter with a human means more chance at survival for the fish at the end of the day. And I have met these fish before.
But to be here for a first encounter with Kristen is something I am looking forward to. The OP in February seems like a proper place for a couple of trout bums to be.
The offseason is here anglers. The season came to an end rather quickly. It seems like just a few weeks ago I had just arrived here from Michigan and was bass fishing the Potholes in the Basin. The Yakima was a bit interesting this late summer and fall season. We had the lowest water flows since 2015. Many anglers and guides had not seen it this low. The river fished as to be expected after a lot of pressure from the spring and summer and the low water coming in quick in late August.
We had a busy season. I ran 53 days this spring and 71 since August 1st. I took from May 15 through August 1st off. I spent time with my son, my partner, and time for myself. I haven’t had a summer to myself in over 10 years so I was happy to have a part of it to myself. A habit I will continue next July when I take a good chunk off for fishing and not guiding.
I ain’t getting any younger. I haven’t got to fish much these past 10 seasons. A few days here and there. This year I finally had more than 30 days on water for myself and not for clients and that was a personal goal I made for myself and my mental health. The guide grind can wear on you. I have the skill and the physical ability to chase fish better than I did when I was in my 20s and I am planning on taking advantage of that in the years to come.
This offseason is one that comes with less stress on some fronts and new stress on others. I am ending my season doing well financially and it seems that finally, post covid and 10 years in business the business and hard work is paying off. Its nice and I have all my clients and the anglers that follow me and read my blogs to thank for it.
Now I am going to get heavy for a second and this seems the best place to put this out there.
I came back early this season for one main reason. My mother was diagnosed with Brain Cancer. Many clients know this as we have talked in the boat. I also just posted a gofundme link in my instagram for it and got some questions about things. I keep this kind of stuff pretty close to the chest. I am here in Cle Elum staying with my parents while we fight her cancer. It is going well, we caught it very early, and things are positive. That’s what I will say about it. We have good support and family around us. Not the easiest thing to talk about and also something I didn’t bring to work with me much but for a few clients. We all use the river to heal in our ways.
This offseason is one that I am not taking for granted. Last year was a little tough out in Michigan and the whole Florida ordeal. Kristen and I are very happy to be back and looking forward to this offseason. We both miss the saltwater. Not Florida but we miss the vibe of the salt. Puget Sound is our next big thing. Kristen is very very seasoned on it and I am a novice. This winter is for exploring that fishery with my new skiff. Bass fishing with it has been amazing, but it was bought for the salt. Now I didn’t care for Florida and I have more southern saltwater to explore….but that is for another offseason. We are playing close to home this time. I want to add it to my guiding roster and I still need hours for my captains license.
Steelhead is also on the roster this offseason. Not for guiding. I won’t guide for them but I will chase them from time to time. Kristen and I have a Grand Ronde Trip coming up, a trip down to Oregon at some point, and the OP in February. Some fishing for us. I am looking forward to all of it.
The offseason is also a time for fly tying, blogging, working on back end business stuff, and programming for next season. It’s a full time job just a little slower in the offseason. Trips are booking up for next season. I am starting to see things book out into the Fall for 2025 already. When I started this gig 10 years ago I never thought it would get to this level here on the Yakima. I am thankful it has. Thankful to my clients. I have become a much better guide because of them and they in turn and become amazing and gifted anglers. It is a joy to work on the Yakima and share it with clients and anglers.
The offseason is also a time for reflection. This year has been busy, travel heavy, on river and off river life has had its trials and tests. The life I set out to have as a young trout bum putting passion into business and making something of nothing has come to fruition. I come into the offseason with a different and more all encompassing sense of myself, my business, my skillsets, and my passion for fly fishing. I have a new and different energy. Could be my age, but really my experience. I spent a good chunk of the last 16 months out of my comfort zone. Coming back to Washington and the Yakima I am more inspired by this place and more invigorated to explore and share it.
I am looking forward to the down time while I have it. The transition to the offseason takes some time. It can be hard coming off of performing, producing, hunting, and rowing for guide season pretty cold turkey as October ends. The Body and Mind get restless as the season eases off. The cabin fever sets in every few weeks or so, like a weird claustrophobia. I have a hard time sitting still for too long. I have also grown to love travel and like the moving around a little bit. Less this offseason but a few light excursions to keep the mind sane. Some time to fish for myself, to see my kids, to spend time with my partner, and just relax and be somewhat still, its important to take the time to rest. To fully rest.
I look forward to 2025, its already filling up. Going to be another big busy season. I will see ya on the other side of the offseason anglers. Check back soon. We get back to regular blogs and fly tying and talking about trout this winter.
I’ve been chasing trout for a while. I feel I’m pretty good and knowledgeable on the subject. I’m also constantly learning. And you never know everything, but you can know a lot. My skillset when it comes to trout is pretty adept now. Which makes learning new places and figuring things out a quicker process. It’s still a process. How many of my clients have spent more than a few trips learning how to fish. I myself took months to even catch a fish on a fly rod. I’ve met so many people that have encountered fish on their first try and many that haven’t. We all go through this process of angler development.
Angler development has stages and it changes. The simple version of it is, you learn the basics, stumble and fumble for a bit, start catching fish, start figuring it out, start losing a lot of fish, get better at not losing fish, then you might like big fish, or a specific kind of fishing like dries or euro, or maybe you like creeks and small rods, or maybe you are a two handed steel chaser, or just like plopping poppers for bass. We develop into anglers and change as we continue to fish.
Learning new places helps anglers really figure out what they like. It also makes you a better angler. And travel is good for you. I myself after 20 years am still developing. Fly fishing, and I have had a lot of time to settle. Changing it up helps with getting stale. I went to Florida and wasn’t impressed with saltwater fishing. But for some anglers, it’s their MF jam dude, and that’s rad. I’m all for passionate anglers. I love trout fishing in the west. Coming east, of course, has shown me how unique Western fishing is. There is nothing like what we have in Montana, Idaho, B.C., the OP, the Oregon coast, or the heavy fast water of Colorado, and all the stuff in between. Those rivers are special in that there aren’t any like them expect there.
Michigan trout fishing from my perspective is wittled down to three big rivers, and a few smaller creeks, lakes, and the big areas where the lakes and rivers meet. For comparison to western stuff, it’s like the state has three Rock Creek Montana sized rivers that cut through the state flowing south and then east and west into the big lakes. Which catch all the water. Everything flows into the big lakes.
The Pere Marquette, the Ausable, and the Manistee River are the big three. They each have branches or forks, or tribs, depending on where you’re from. They call them branches out here. There are some smaller streams or creeks. Teanaway, East fork of the Root, upper Blackfoot size, and a few creeks that resemble Flint Creek MT, or Black Tail Ponds WY. Less than 300 cfs. These rivers are the Pigeon, Black, Rifle, Sturgeon, and so many others. They make up the majority of the 29 rivers that call Michigan home. There are more in the Upper Peninsula, which is a 7 hr plus drive. It’s kinda like driving from Missoula MT to the OP in Washington. We explore those later.
Max cfs for fishing out here is less than 1800 on the big rivers. They kinda blow out after that. Big rainstorms will do that here, just like MT. These are small meandering rivers like the smaller spring creeks of Idaho and Montana. They have fish, not as many as Western anglers are used to, and there is a robust stocking program for all these watersheds. Blue ribbon means good access, good fishing opportunities out here. Large fish are throughout the rivers accordingly in structure, deep water, like browns do. Hanging out being lazy on the bottom a lot of the time. Hiding in structure like shelves, grass beds, logs, the few rocks, and all of the underwater sand dunes. These fish will slide up and around the sandy bottom like Sandworms from Dune looks to smash food.
It’s a low light game in the summer. Just like out west, but it’s more like that 2 hrs window of caddis fishing as it gets dark. The fishing during the day is slower than I anticipated. After over a dozen days on 2 different rivers and a few smaller creeks, the activity is low during the day. Like dead silent most of the time. Fish that do eat are small. The larger ones eat at night, they’ll move for a streamer, but it’s pretty uncommitted so far.
The rivers are easy to wade, but soft bottom and sand are taking me a little, getting used to. I recommend boots, not chacos. The rivers have current and lots of fun places to punch streamers and dries in. It’s all structure, bank, and shelf fishing. Tail outs, recess water, subtle riffles, multiple seams of cross current, its all there, its all trouty anglers. Different but trouty. There are bugs, but nothing that rivals anything out west yet. The Hex have started, and I’ve been able to observe fish eating them in the 45 minutes of the hatch from about 9:30 10pm to about 11pm. Night fishing is an interesting game, and also one that isn’t consistent. They may eat hard one night and then not at all the next, which I have also observed.
I am going to snorkel these waters. They are clear, tannin but clear. The best way to understand how fish be fish is to just go look. My years and my experience, as well as my little bit of time on these Michigan rivers, tell me that fish hold in deep and tight and move in the mornings and evenings. Browns are naturally more nocturnal. They are set in that all too familiar early am late pm cycle. Which is a summer thing. The spring and fall are different, of course. Population is something else. There isn’t a lot of room on these rivers compared to places out west. Are there 1000 fish per mile in sections, absolutely. I’ve seen pods of 30 plus large trout feeding on midges on the Ausable, and I’ve heard and seen pods of 5 to 15 feeding in various places. They are there. I want to know how they compare to Western trout. How do they move about these strange rivers, the sand and grass beds, how do they use them, the deep water and structure, how do they pod up, how territorial or friendly are they, do they react more to light, or movement, are they sensitive to boat traffic and people.
All of these things have now spiked my curiosity to learn more about these places so that I can better understand and appreciate them. I don’t particularly care if I catch fish most days. And when I do, it’s usually just for one. But I do want to understand how a river system works, and these rivers are oranges to apples from what I understand. The fish are the same. But their environment is not.
Michigan is a fucking deciduous jungle. Currently, it’s 80 degrees and probably 60 plus humidity. I love the humidity anglers. It’s so nice. It’s like Florida was in November. Just pleasant. Made the beard get shorter, but man, the weather is nice. Also it’s cloudy like all the time here. Not Seattle gross clouds in November, but just normal awesome fishing cloud cover. The wind here ain’t near as bad. And even when it is, there are so many damn trees they soak up almost all of it. Even on the lakes wind ain’t been like the Yak or other western rivers.
Camping here is wonderful. With lots of room. You can float to campgrounds and have shuttles run for multiple day floats. Lots of canoe and kayak access, plenty of raft and drift boat, and skiff access. Most people use the same boats as out west. A lot of old Hyde driftboats, a few adipose, lots of stealthcrafts. I even met another Hog Island skiff owner on the lake near where I live. There are tubers and kayakers all over. Doesn’t bother fishing too much. It’s got a similar feel to the summer as out west. The birds are way cooler out here. I’ll say that. It’s what makes it like a jungle. On any given day, there are 10 to 25 birds making noise.
Also, there are fucking fireflies every night! No one told me how freaking rad those little light up butt Beatles are. They are like little blue and chartreuse sparkly LED lights from 10 to 1am. So awesome to watch them. The other night, Kristen and I watched them blink and twinkle along the riverside of the Manistee in the thousands while fish ate Hex, caddis, and Spinner Fall. It’s not always about fishing. Sometimes, it is just about appreciating the space and the opportunity to explore and witness it.
Being so attached to the Western rivers, this place can make one feel out of sorts as an angler. A new phase of my development as an angler. I’ve needed a good challenge, and it’s part of what I was seeking out making this move. More to explore here in regards to trout. The opportunities for other species are more vast than the trout fishing here in Michigan.
Lakes upon lakes and several big short rivers that hold bass, musky, pike, gar, and carp. I have only ticked the surface of that kind of fishing here. It’s much more straightforward, in my opinion, than trout fishing. Especially bass, but pike eat, that’s what they do. Musky are a challenge, but they are more abundant here than places I’ve chased and caught them before. The salmon and lake run rainbows they have here are of little interest to me personally and professionally. As I felt out west with steelhead, it ain’t for me. I’ve caught my chrome. It was fun. I’m good. I’d rather chase something warmer in the winter months. Just not Florida.
The start of my summer has been interesting. It’s strange not working and being on river rhythm each day. Things change this next week. My son will be here, and we will be exploring this place together. Something I’m looking forward to. Taking time off of work was a necessity for many reasons. My body is a little wore out after 10 years. Many know my knee was funky two seasons ago, no more jumping outta the boat for me. I’ve been fishing less because my right elbow needs a huge break from rowing but also fishing. I wear a brace when I do row and fish now.
Most importantly. I wanted to take the opportunity to spend time with my kids this summer and the next few as they get ready to become young adults themselves. My oldest kids are almost 17 and 15. The youngest is 10 now. They are easier to see living here in Michigan. Flying them is much more affordable here, especially as they get older. They are getting to point where they also want to explore and discover. I want time to be there with them through that.
I have a partner who is building something out here and needs support. Her business is taking off and requires more hands and eyes, and we work very well together professionally. New opportunities that allow me to continue working in fly fishing without the wear and tear on my body are here. New ways of teaching and learning, new people to bring into fly fishing, and for once I get to be less of a boss and more of an employee, running a business for 10 years is some shit. Especially in recent years. The ability to let the Yakima take care of itself and my clients being the most awesome and supportive booking trips the way you all have is a freaking huge weight off my workload. It is because of all of you I am able to expand.
Lastly, and I guess selfishly, but also just because I need a break. I wanted time off. Guiding takes it’s toll and I’m in this for the long haul. I needed time for myself. I have other things that have come into life that I want to give my attention to. I’m almost 40 and have to start thinking about what’s next and what my career looks like, where I want to be, and what I want to be guiding. It’s a little scary, but it’s what I need, so I don’t burn out. I never set out to only guide one river or one place. This time off was to give myself the break to search that out. I can’t guide like I’m 28 anymore, nor do I want to. I have developed into a different guide and want more and different just as we all do as anglers. I want different experiences in new places. Adventure is the journey of figuring that out and what is discovered along the way. I can’t accomplish that for myself if I’m on the river for others every day. I wanted some time for that. Needed it. This world isn’t always easy. Especially when you chase your passion and try to make a living doing your own thing. It’s a choice I am happy I made. Things have settled a bit here in Michigan. I’m ready to start sharing some of these spaces with anglers and clients into July amd August. The opportunities are vast and diverse here. I’m only just getting into it, and it’s always a good time to explore and experience it with others. I hope to see some familiar faces out east, and meet new and excited anglers here.
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