Do you think our state forests offer any value to Oregonians other than timber revenue? Does clean water matter? Do fish, wildlife and recreation matter? Of course they do. That’s why Oregon’s Department of Forestry correctly identifies the “greatest permanent value” of our forests as: “healthy

Ever hear of a trout stream called the Henry’s Fork? It’s a trib of the Snake River that flows through our neighbor-state of Idaho. It’s one of the most challenging trout streams in the world–a large, often glassy spring creek, loaded with huge, highly educated rainbows. If you’ve read John Gie

One of Winston Rod Company’s most successful rod series of all time is being discontinued as four new rods are introduced. The BIIX has been one of our favorite rods available for 7 years now. We have put our remaining stock of BIIX on sale. For now this is all we have on hand, [...]

The Pelton Round Butte project on the Upper Deschutes is designed to aid fish passage to historic habitat upriver, but it’s also heating up the lower river — according to fisheries biologists, mimicking the historic temperatures our native anadromous fish evolved to handle. The results, according to the Oregonia

According to the Associated Press, the U.S. Forest Service wants to stop new gold mining claims on the Chetco River in southwestern Oregon while Congress considers legislation that would permanently raise the level of protection for wild salmon and steelhead habitat. Photo by Rob Robinson If the Bureau of Land Management a

I asked Jay Nicholas to introduce a series of videos we shot recently about flies for Sea Run Cutthroat here in Oregon. Blueback are in already, and they will keep trickling into our coastal rivers throughout the fall. Enjoy. Remember too, that I will schedule a class for folks who want to [...]

I was embarrassed to admit it, even to my closest friends. But I went back. Again. Two sunny, warm weeks since I had supposedly called it a season. But all it took was one enticing report from the Tillamook underground to rekindle the fire: “There are still a handful of fish in the bay, mostly [...]

Trout Unlimited at the State Council Level has been involved in lobbying our state legislators in Salem to ban felt sole wading boots in the 2011 legislature. The following info is from Dave Kumlien, Executive Director of the Whirling Disease Foundation and Trout Unlimited: It is a very good idea on reaching out to fly shop

The final two patterns in Jay’s Lagartun Mini Flat Braid Series. Summer Steelhead fishing is looking great locally with over 22,000 fish over Willamette Falls. The Deschutes had a record year last and is again looking good this year. Decent reports from the North Umpqua have been trickling in. Shorter days and more sh

Our pal Warren Moran sent us this report from the Madison River. This is my ninth trip to the Madison River in the last ten years. The good news is that things haven’t changed much up here. Just a few more trophy homes and maybe a few more “sports” on the water. The Madison, also [...]

Jeff Mishler has posted some amazing videos of the forthcoming Skagit Master 2 featuring Scott Howell. Check out the videos — a 2 minute intruder and North Umpqua fish porn. Pebble Mine opponents scored a court victory. Environmentalists oppose the huge copper and gold mine being developed in Alaska near some of th

In this video Jay Nicholas ties another one of his favorite Steelhead patterns in the Summer Steelhead Lagartun Mini Flat Braid Series. Steelhead and Salmon love blue! Lagartun Mini Flat Braid Fluorescent Blue is a material that almost glows in the water. Swing this pattern on a floating line or sink tip for Steelhead at [

Bug Launcher Classic The Reel McCoys’ Place July 24th & 25th What: BBQ and casting challenge on the N. Umpqua River Where: 9624 South Bank Dr. Roseburg, OR [...]

The first of four different steelhead flies tied by Jay Nicholas from his Steelhead Mini Flat Braid Series. Fluorescent Orange Lagartun Mini Flat Braid over-body and a silver Lagartun Mini Flat Braid under-body give this pattern a subtle glow in the water. Add some trilobal dubbing and a Krystal Flash wing and you have a

We made it hard on ourselves, taking off for the North Umpqua Thursday night after last call. How many days ago, two? We left with no sleep, straight for the fly water. When I popped out of the truck that first morning, I’d felt like a million bucks, swinging good water, casting my switch rod. [...]

The final two of eight Summer Steelhead Chenille Series flies from Jay Nicholas. Jay discusses hook size, proportions and flash. The next series of low water patterns is on the way!–CD Summer Steelhead Chenille Series Hook: TMC 700 2-6 Thread: Lagartun 95D Black Rib: Lagartun Oval Tinsel Body: Medium Black Chenill

Two more in Jay’s Summer Steelhead Chenille Series Steelhead fly patterns. During the tying session Jay discusses stomach contents of Steelhead. His career as a biologist and angler has led to a tremendous amount of research, field observation and access to information about fish. Enjoy!–CD Summer Steelhead

Two more proven Steelhead patterns from Jay Nicholas’s Summer Steelhead Chenille Series. Purple has to be considered along with black as a top producing steelhead color. Fly number two is a “Juicy Bug” knock off that Jay has had success both on the Rogue and North Umpqua.–CD     Summer Steelhead C

Thursday, my friend Mike and I decided to take advantage of the good flows on the Middle Fork of the Willamette above Lookout Point and float for wild trout.  Whether it was the late rain or the Corps hording water due to low snowpack or a combination of the two I guess it doesn’t really [...]

Greg Hatten shot this great video earlier this week of Register-Guard columnist Bob Welch fighting his first steelhead on the Town Run. Check out the four-foot jump this thing takes. Apparently Bob is hooked.

It’s looking like another excellent summer Steelhead year in the Pacific Northwest. Rumor, suggestion, theory, preliminary numbers, has the Deschutes even better in 2010 than the record of 2009. The North Umpqua is fishing reasonably well right now. The Willamette, McKenzie, North Santiam, South Santiam all have good

Jed Kaul from the Long Tom Watershed Council will be speaking at the Trout Unlimited meeting tonight at the Eagles Aerie, 1375 Irving Rd., Eugene, OR. Learn about this watershed just west of Eugene. Free and open to the public, meetings start at 7pm. Be sure to bring your brown bag flies for the contest, [...]

Here are the winners of the Caddis Fly and Hareline Dubbin fly tying contest — this spring’s pattern was the Green McKenzie Caddis. 1st Place: Green Caddis Wet by Ethan Nickel Hook: Daichi 1560 #10 Thread: Black UTC 70 Body: Grey Ostrich Herl Rib: Chartreuse V-Rib Hackle: Ringneck pheasant flank dyed green Hac

Last night Karl and I fished the town run from Island Park to Alton Baker on a rising river. The U.S. Army Corps has been raising and dropping the water levels to do some spillway repairs upriver, and the levels on the Middle Fork Willamette below Jasper can fluctuate between 6 inches and a foot. [...]

Jay Nicholas and I sat down and filmed around 40 seperate fly tying videos earlier this summer. The following set includes 9 flies, all variations of Jay’s Summer Steelhead Boss. The Boss Fly has been around for a long, long time and is responsible for many steelhead coming to hand. In each one of [...]

The McKenzie River is fishing well top to bottom. While the majority of our significant early season hatches have declined water conditions are ideal for wading or boating the entire McKenzie River. Lower River: Confluence up to Leaburg Dam: Early mornings and late evenings have been best. Try Light Cahills and various So

The movie 180° SOUTH shows in Eugene at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 30, at the WOW Hall, 291 W. 8th Ave. The film’s star, Jeff Johnson, will be at both showings to greet people and answer questions. The movie is about of one of the most unique and prolific environmentalists of our time -Yvon Chouinard. Rather [...]

Spring-like weather might prolong the coastal spring chinook fishery for another week or two, but after the butt-kicking handed to me over the last couple of weeks, I’m crawling back in my hole for a month or two. My right wrist is shot to hell, and I’ve lost about 50% of the strength in my [...]

The Oregon Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers (OFFF) is once again sponsoring the fly tying event for this year’s Oregon State Fair. The objectives of the program are; to promote the craft and artistry of fly tying in Oregon; to encourage the improvement of fly tying, and the creativity of Oregon fly [...]

I just put together the 2010 footage from the annual fly fishing for pike trip, and it’s a bit weird. Rock and roll provided by Akron Ohio’s greatest defunct rock band Interfuse. If you’re into surreal water colors and shaky camera work, press play. If not, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Here a