Strong Current

Ok, Couldn't help it...

2012-02-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

Had to just finish it off, and get it out of my vise....

I don't know.., it looks OK. Going to be a SOB to cast, but it has a lot of body and movement. Might have to go to BC to try it out. We'll call it the Blogzilla.

2012-02-06T16:20:00.001-08:00

More flashabou and double purple rabbit strips for an over and under wing. Nate's free to go again...

2012-02-06T14:26:00.001-08:00

Ok, If nobody else posts something in the next day, Nate can go again ;)

Orange marabou and rabbit strips are added to materials...

Next step

2012-02-06T13:07:00.001-08:00

Polar chenille with orange saddle. I'll add glo bug yarn, black deer hair, and purple arctic fox to the material list.

Tell me what to do next

2012-02-04T12:40:00.001-08:00

Im going to get all interactive with you for a bit here....

Ok, this is going to be a shank style steelhead fly (going to clip the hook at the end) You tell me what to do next, one step at a time and I'll post pics after I complete a step. Check out the materials, that's what I'll use.

So Close, Yet So Far....

2012-01-30T14:16:00.000-08:00

Spring Steelead.

???

2012-01-06T05:29:00.000-08:00

This is a photo I took while living in Crested Butte. This is NOT, what it looks like outside right now at all.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T10:22:00.001-08:00

This morning I took out all my steelhead flies, lined them up, and stared at them for a while.

holga shot

2011-11-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

Just developed some film in the old Holga. I don't remember taking this shot of Roger, but it turned out cool, I think. I'm already missing smallmouth fishing and summertime....

i love steelhead

2011-11-07T04:57:00.000-08:00

autumn is awesome

2011-11-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

happy

2011-10-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

north swell

2011-10-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

Solid swell yesterday. Fly rods and surfboards in the truck. 'Tis the season.

photo essay

2011-07-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

click HERE, if you'd like, and check out a little photo essay I've been working at this summer.

release

2011-07-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

thinking back...

2011-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

when it's 90 million degrees outside, it's nice to think about cold and drizzly things, like a good day of spring fishing...

Checking off a goal...

2011-06-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

So I finally officially caught a crappie. I was sooooo stoked. I may have caught them when I was younger, but I just couldn't remember. It ate a small pink marabou jig, with no bait or anything. Catching a crappie was one of my major summer goals. My next goal is to catch a tarpon. One of my favorite fishing shows to watch when I was growing up was "The Walker Cay Chronicles" with Flip Pallot. Man that show was awesome. Anyways, I remember him hooking up with big tarpon and I've been in love with them ever since. Hopefully someday soon I can check that one off the list.

Check out this LINK and click on the first video (upper left), watch the first 30 seconds or so and watch Flip Pallot do what I want to do.

is summer finally here?

2011-06-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Popper fish in the morning. Longboard skate in the afternoon. Yes.

night photos

2011-05-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

I would like to get some cool night photos this summer. I started messing around last night with some ideas I've had for a while, and hopefully I can get them really dialed in.

fisheye fishing...

2011-05-18T16:24:00.000-07:00

casting

2011-05-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

dreams?

2011-05-02T11:11:00.001-07:00

Ever wake up and think, "did that really happen yesterday?"

good swell

2011-04-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

Snow? what? more rain? rivers are going big, but the waves were good today.

"Saaah..wish" goes the line....

2011-04-21T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you catch a whole bunch of Steelhead, and sometimes you don't catch very many. (like today....)

beat downs...

2011-04-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

It's definitely the days I don't catch fish that keep me fishing.

lazy day

2011-04-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Low clouds, rain, snow, wind. The bland, earthy colors of late winter define the day. It's a perfect steelhead day today, but I decided to stay home and tie some flies. No need to worry, the fish will come.

favorite camera

2011-03-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

I love my little toy camera.

53 Days....

2011-03-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Smallmouth. Soon. Until then...... www.smallmouthflyshop.com

a couple shots

2011-03-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

I'm having lots of fun with this camera. I hope to someday have a little photo developing studio of my own. It's not too expensive to have film developed but it can certainly add up. To have three rolls of 120mm film with 12 slides on each roll cost the same as my camera did. ($12/roll). With film, and fishing too, you never know what you're going to get.

*these are pictures of pictures, i don't have a scanner so I didn't know any other way to get them digital, but this seems to work*

Another Attack....

2011-03-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

No, it wasn't our usual suspect, Mesa the Yellow Lab. This time it was Lindy, a 6 year old Border Terrier we've adopted after her owner passed away. She made short work of the Large Northern Bucktail I left out on the table. You can see Mesa looking over the damage and admiring the work of his new companion.

Trout

2011-03-02T06:13:00.000-08:00

I'm really not that good at any one particular thing, but I like to try my hand at a bunch of different things. This is especially true of my fishing. I admire certain species more than others, like steelhead and smallmouth bass, but I wouldn't consider them my specialty. I like to think I'm an opportunistic fisherman- I'll take what I can get when I can get it. It kind of seems that's the way the fish think, too. I probably couldn't fish for rising trout everyday of my life, but I don't think I'm too proud to say I wouldn't try if I had the chance. But maybe it's just late in the winter and I'm over-thinking things that don't need to be thought about.

Ah yes...

2011-02-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

This was the product of a typical night at the old college house. Fish stories, a camera, photoshop, and some beer.

wind and waves

2011-02-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

The old lake is unleashing its fury, yet again. It's this kind of winter storm that reminds myself we live in a pretty neat place.

A REAL fishing film...

2011-02-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

A beautiful film to watch and think about.

http://vimeo.com/19982291

into the storm

2011-02-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

here's a photo from my recent trip to the planet Hoth

Retrieve birds fallen, do I....

2011-02-14T08:18:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my good friend Mark's Yellow Lab. His name is Yoda.

Water

2011-02-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

Open water is near. I can feel it now.

B.B.

The Bay

ONT

First Steelhead

2011-02-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

My first Steelhead. Photo by Rob L.

(more on the thrills and spills later)

I'll never forget this day. I was probably in the 6th grade, and it must've been mid to late April. Just as every other weekend in the spring, my parents would bring me to the river and drop me off for the day where I would meet my buddy Rob. I remember that we had checked the river the day before, but it was blown out due to a big rain storm. The next day, this day, it was sunny and the water was perfect.

We had spent most of the spring "fly casting" our big, flashy flies we tied all winter long with no success. A red, white and blue streamer with blue crystal flash was my favorite. What would you say now if you saw a 10 year old stripping a streamer through chocolate brown, 34 degree water? To our defense, I do remember a time when a small Steelhead took one of Rob's streamers. He didn't land it, though. Well, it didn't take long for us to score a few bags of fresh spawn. I put a spinning reel on my fly rod tied up some yarn flies and was set.

Just the word "Steelhead" at a young age, captivated me. I had seen old guys catch them, but never really was able to get a super good look at one until one year on the B.B. opener. I was in the 4th grade. My Dad and I were fishing close to a bridge and a guy above us hooked a nice fish on mono and yarn. I was working an over hanging branch two feet away from the bank with my red, white and blue streamer. I remember him working the fish down towards us and ending up right next to me. The fish was dark green and red. He then asked me to net the fish for him, which I did, head first just like Grandpa told me, and we stood and admired it. He told me it was a fish that had wintered over, and because of its big jaw, it was boy and not a girl. He never lifted it out of the water, I removed the hook for him and he gently pointed it back upstream and it kicked off. Man was I excited after that. I then tied on a pink, orange, red and blue streamer, because the guy that just caught the fish had a pink yarn fly on. I took one step further out and then fell into the river. My Dad took me to a local motel where they let us use their laundry facility to dry out my clothes. Little did I know, I had not fallen into the river, I had been baptised into the church of steelhead.

(Back to the point of this story........)

So, with a new spawn bag on my hook, doubled with a pink yarn fly, I set out on my favorite river. It didn't take too long that day. I was working the current right in front of a big boulder, just like my steelhead books told me. I don't remember feeling a bight or even feeling anything at all. I just remember that all of a sudden I had a fish on and was yelling at Rob to get down to me and net this thing. Rob mumbled something about the fish not being very big, but did manage to get the net and successfully land it. He grabbed a disposable camera from his vest while I clutched the fish. We found out later that the camera he had grabbed earlier that day was from their family's recent Colorado ski trip, and each picture had a cheesy, ski trip related phrase burned into the bottom of each picture. I measured the fish with the tape measure I had taken from my Mom's sewing basket and let the fish go. It was 22 inches.

I thought it was fitting, looking at this picture now, that the phrase "Thrills and Spills" happened to be at the bottom of my picture. I really can't think of a better word combination to sum up my Steelheading experience to date.

he strikes again....

2011-02-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

Another pack of tubes has fallen victim to the four-legged, yellow, furry thing that rules my house.

so.......

2011-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

I should have posted this up earlier, but for those of you who don't know, Laura and I are going to get married! I'm super happy.

yes

2011-02-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

My letter to the editor made it into this issue of This is Fly. Probably the closest I'll ever get to having a story in one of the mags. Fishing is fishing, right? Doesn't matter how you do it as long as you're having fun and treat the fish well. You don't have to be super sweet to catch a fish.

....And if you catch a few Walleyes, treating them well means: dip in batter, dip in eggwash, dip in batter, drop in hot oil, fry untill golden brown and consume.

they've gotta start somewhere

2011-02-01T06:40:00.000-08:00

one more....

2011-01-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

This one is supposed to be a "popsicle" colored tube fly. It's a good thing Laura got me the ultra washable paints, because I've got it all over my shirt and the kitchen counter.....

A new 24 Pack

2011-01-20T07:56:00.000-08:00

For whatever reason, I've had the temptation to try painting or drawing or sketching lately. I don't think I've tried painting or any other arts and crafts since probably kindergarten when I was reprimanded for "using too much glue." I was super stoked when Laura brought me home a sketchbook and a new 24 pack of Crayola Washable Watercolors yesterday. Maybe for my birthday I'll ask for a 64 pack of crayons, with the built-in crayon sharpener in the back.

(painting is supposed to be a steelhead....)

Cold

2011-01-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

One way to get over the arctic temperatures is to look at pictures that make you feel warm. Here's a couple I've been looking at lately. A nice smallmouth Laura caught a few springs ago, and a dockside sunset from last summer at the cabin. I can almost hear the mosquitos buzzing in my ears.....

Swell

2011-01-14T13:49:00.000-08:00

Even though it's cold, it feels good to get out in the lake's wintery currents. Here's a little pic of myself taken by Bob Tema from Wednesday.

Hero Shot

2011-01-07T16:39:00.001-08:00

It's hard for Laura to be humble when she's casting a fly to Smallmouth.

favorite

2011-01-05T07:14:00.000-08:00

This fish was so beautiful. I love how it was a truly black and white fish, except for the purple blush on its gill plates. It almost looks as though the black from it's back is dripping down onto its chrome flanks. Black and White fish = Fresh from the Lake fish.

New Year, New Fish

2011-01-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Stoked to soon get out fishing again. My goal is to catch a Crappie. I'm pretty sure I've never caught one.

Big Day Today!!

2010-12-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

Well, mark it down. There's officially only 138 more days until we can fish for Smallies in WI. Be sure to raise your glass and celebrate this most triumphant day.

weekend

2010-12-14T05:50:00.000-08:00

Surf. Steelhead flies. Cold.

Hmmmmm........

2010-12-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

I read something about "underwater waking" steelhead flies the other day. The author said that by tying a deer hair collar or head, (like a muddler minnow) the water moved in such a way that the steelhead could feel that movement in their lateral line. I'm not sure what to think of that, I mean, if I really wanted to "move" steelhead, I'd just figure out how to throw a flatfish with my fly rod. (which would be super sweet, by the way). Anways, I've been trying to tie-up a super cool steelhead muddler type pattern. There's really nothing better to do when it's 11 degrees outside.

Christmas Gift Ideas....

2010-12-04T18:18:00.000-08:00

How about a fishing movie, like Jaws? (greatest fishing movie of all time)

Or a 6/7 weight 11 foot Riverwatch bamboo two-hander?

Or, for a more practical gift, how about a GUIDED TRIP raffle ticket. Give someone (or maybe just yourself) the chance to go fishing somewhere cool. Check out THIS website (lower left of homepage) for details. It's a pretty good deal, really.

Bob Clay in Action

2010-12-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

Bob told Laura and I that "Sometimes you don't catch any Steelhead and then all of a sudden you'll catch a whole bunch of them." Pretty much sums it all up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NYREl3GJAs

Denied

2010-11-28T18:02:00.001-08:00

check out THIS total bummer.

tunes

2010-11-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

digging THIS band right now.

couple shots

2010-11-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

I forgot how cool film can be. I loaded a role of slide film in my camera and took a few shots here and there throughout the steelhead season. I had them cross processed, which means they develop the slide film in the "regular" films solution. This produces some really cool color and contrast combinations. I don't have the best scanner, but you should get the general idea. I hope to shoot a bunch more film next season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gill Plates

2010-11-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

So much color. I catch them to look at them.

Do Steelhead Surf?

2010-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Man, what a crazy storm. The big lake was angry for sure. The biggest wave height I saw registered was on a Canadian Bouy on the corner of the lake (26.2 ft.) I also noted a wind gust at Isle Royal of 68 knots.

Anyways found this little bay with some pretty clean waves coming in. I was by myself so I didn't paddle out. It was pretty heavy.

that's my girl

2010-10-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

After Laura hooked her first "big" Steelhead today, she went on to hook 3 more. She landed all but one. The one that got away exited the water immediately after the hook set and flew around for a while in search of the nearest tree. It came crashing down, and sped away before we even knew what was going on. Steelhead are cool.

I also shot the last of my roll of film, so I'll soon get those developed to see what I've got.

film

2010-10-04T18:44:00.001-07:00

This fall i've made myself leave my digital camera at home when I go to the river. I was a late comer to digital photography and was hesitant to make the step. I still think that a roll of good slide film can most accurately depict the scenes that we shoot. The colors are much more rich and feel a little more real. I also miss the waiting game and not knowing how the pictures turned out. Hopefully in about a month I'll have gone through my roll of 36 (I'm taking my time) and I'll show you what I got.

dreaming

2010-09-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking way too much about Steelhead lately. I dreamt I caught one the other day, but it seemed to real to be a dream. The mind wanders when your stepping through a good run.

The Clay's

2010-09-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

"You drove nearly 5,000 miles to go fishing?" Somebody made this remark to me the other day regarding our recent venture to northern BC. I though about it a little, and maybe it does seem a little ridiculous. But as we all know, it's more than just driving to fish. It's the search. It's becoming uncomfortable. It's meeting new people. It's pursuing dreams. I'm still not exactly sure what "it" is, but I hope to keep doing it for as long as I can.

When we arrived at Bob and Kathy Clay's, we instantly see that they are super cool people. They live in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and their home is a reflection of that place. Besides being steps away from one of the greatest Steelhead rivers on earth, there's a plentiful garden, turkeys, ducks, chickens, horses and a quaint and well lit workshop where two-handed magic is crafted. During the peak of the season, their home is apparently Steelhead central. Bob says he really doesn't get much work done that time of year as everyone is stopping by to have tea and talk about the run. This is apparent from the moment you step inside their house. Pictures of giant Steelhead are everywhere. The faces in the pictures look familiar. Bob confirms. There's Lani Waller, Trey Combs, etc. He says Yvon Chouinard stops to fish and sleeps on the floor when he stays.

Bob tells us the river has been low, but maybe there will be some fish around. He recommends a number six muddler, rifle hitched, and draws us a map to point out the good runs. We sleep in his daughter Kateri's room. The Kispiox slowly lulls us to sleep.

The turkeys were kind of annoying. Laura with Eddie (left), and drifter. Eddie ran a mom and cub bear up a tree when she was 5 months old.

View of the Upper Upper Potato Patch from Bob's dining room.

Fish that dreams are made of.

The work shop. Simple, but perfect.

B/W BC

2010-08-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

fish on....

2010-08-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

We've made our way further toward the Ocean on account of low water further up the system, and it seems to be the right call. I finally got the pull I was waiting for today. Just on the outside of a big underwater rock about midway through a nice long run. A bright hen, fresh from the sea. What a cool experience. Oh yeah, it hit a black and blue X-legs Intruder.

update

2010-08-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Day two. Zero Steelhead.

Changing Gears

2010-08-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

So, Laura has always bugged me about staying at a Bed and Breakfast. In March I booked a few nights for the end of August at a place I thought she would like. The only catch is that it's only about a 2,000 mile drive across the US and Canada to get there. But seriously, we're pretty stoked on this trip. I've been waiting my whole life to do this, so I'm really happy. We'll be leaving Wednesday and driving for a few days. Our first destination is Bob Clay's place on the Kispiox River. He builds bamboo fly rods and operates a bed and breakfast there. After that we'll be making our way up the Bulkley River and where ever the Steelhead may take us. I hope to stay untill I catch a Steelhead on a dry fly, but we'll see. Be sure to check here for pics of the trip as it plays out. So for now I've put the warm water gear away, and have been tying flies and reading all my Steelhead books over and over. Hopefully this turns out to be a fun trip.

update

2010-07-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

Swing on over to Strong Current Films and check out the "mini-teaser" I put up for Figure 8. It's not much, but I don't want to give too much away.....;)

storm

2010-07-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

We were treated to a pretty cool lightning storm the other night up on Lake V. It lasted for a few hours, non-stop. I missed 4th of July fireworks this year, but I think this was better. It made for some entertaining and beautiful fishing.

a fun trip

2010-06-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

the beautiful scenery makes the trip well worth it.

gin clear water and colorful rocks.

some of the most colorful muskies swim here.

reflections.

posing for photos.

shore lunch. lake trout, spam, pancakes, eggs....

the mood of the day changes often.

fishes.

bad roads bring good people.

not a musky. bummed, the blueberry's weren't ripe.

a sign of passage.

(below) last cast, last spot, last day. hooked the fish of a lifetime at a placed we call "Shit Your Pants Point." I didn't land it.

hitting the road

2010-06-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

We're headed in a northerly direction with a new box of big flies, a couple of granola bars and not much else with the hope of catching a nice, toothy fish. I'll post some more pics in a week or so.

quiet evenings

2010-05-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

smallmouth video

2010-05-05T04:56:00.000-07:00

check THIS out, if you want. i threw it together last night, so not the greatest but you should get the idea....

skinny water smallies

2010-05-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

Made it out for the first Superior bass trip today. There were a few fish around, but they were super spooky. We got a few, but it was tough and fun- just the way we like it.

Stay tuned for a little video I'm putting together of the days outing.....

Self Pictures

2010-04-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

I was fighting this fish, grabbed my camera out of my bag and luckily was able to get a few shots off of it jumping. Then I dropped my camera in some sand. It still seems to work though. It had been a few days between grabs, so swinging up this fish felt good.

Steelhead 1, Luke 1

2010-04-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

This last one, I guess I'll call it a draw......

I finally hooked into a a good fish the other day. It smashed a really funky looking fly I thought would never catch a fish, but it worked. After the hit, I stumbled on the rocks and fell on my back into the river. That was the first time I've been floating in a run and watching a mean chromer jumping down the river on the end of my line. Anyways, I pulled myself up and managed to bring her in. She was a gorgeous fish. Bright and fresh and plump. I released her and hobbled to the bank to ring out my clothes and call it a day.

A Beautiful Thing

2010-03-31T18:31:00.005-07:00

(For some video, check out the link below.....)

I had got word the fishing were running up the rock today, and boy were they ever. This is the earliest I have seen the Steelhead from this certain river make the run up the falls in a long time. Most of the fish looked as if they had been in the river for some time. The water was pretty low, and I witnessed very few fish make it all the way up the run. They will though, we just need some water. The fish from this river are some of the most beautiful Steelhead around here. I may be biased, as it's only a few minutes from where I grew up, but there's just something about them. They seem to always be very colorful. I see a few chrome fish here and there, but these fish have something different about them. Orange, pink, deep red, and dark green are how I see these fish, and the chrome fish I see are more purple than chrome. This is such a special spot, you really get to see first hand the struggle a Steelhead goes through. I didn't fish, I just watched, something I like to do more and more of at this spot. I love to just watch over these fish; I'd sit here 24/7 during the peak of the run if I could. Partly to photograph them, and also to keep the outlaws out of the refuge, though I'm pretty sure most people leave the fish be. The best thing I have learned from watching these fish is how many actually get above the fishermen into the big hole, and then up the falls to spawning grounds without getting caught or killed. If they have been caught, they seem to be in good shape when they make their run. Hopefully these fish can get upriver, with the help of a little rain, do their thing and start the cycle all over again.

Here's A LITTLE VIDEO I shot. Sorry for the rough editing......

expeditions

2010-03-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot about this trip. I would like to get back here and further explore this river system. It takes some work to get there, but that's the fun of it. I really think it's probably some of the best Smallmouth fishing around. Hmmm, deep wilderness float for trophy Smallmouth. Might have to add that to the summer "To Do" list.

Sequence

2010-03-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

What's up with the warmth? Everybody keeps saying we still could get another blizzard or something, but it's hard to believe it could happen. The Spring Steelhead season is going to come and go pretty fast up here I think.

Recent Happenings at the Vise

2010-03-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

In a perfect world, a fly tyer would have a nice room accented with fly fishing decor. It would probably be sided with some sort of organic barn-wood, and have old bamboo fly rods on the walls. A comforting fire would be burning in the fireplace in the corner and a well-behaved dog would be curled up on a rug near the warmth of the it. The fly tyer would look out over her or his tying bench through a medium sized window and watch the snow gently fall upon the modest sized spring creek that flowed through the property. Materials and hooks would all be stored in neat little drawers beneath the tying bench, labled and color coded. A perfectly-tied size 24 Trico dry fly would be stuck in the vise.

In my world, shit is spread all over the place. The table I tie on isn't big enough to hold a couple packages of marabou, and the lighting sucks. There's a solid trail of deer hair clippings in and out of the room so thick the vacum won't pick them up. Every now and then, my dog runs by and grabs what he can and chews it all up. I swear I just bought $100 in materials, but I can't find any of it. In my vise is a monstrosity of a Steelhead fly I'll probably never use. Maybe someday my tying area will look like the heaven I've described above. Maybe. For now I'm just going to concentrate on prying open my dogs jaws and retreiving the big wad of Arctic Fox hair he just grabbed.

Yes, Please....

2010-02-24T18:54:00.001-08:00

Good tunes

2010-02-10T16:04:00.001-08:00

I don't know why, but I'm really diggin' this band. It makes me want to frolic through a hayfield in the summer sun.

On another note, not too much longer and we'll be fishing. Lots of snow up here, so if things go well we should have a good spring in terms of water.

Summer Days on a River

2010-01-13T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's a grey, overcast day today. The kind of day that lacks color and contrast. It's a little warmer out, though, and I can't help but think of the spring thaw and what comes after that.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T06:26:00.001-08:00

Lots of good memories this year for sure! Not too much longer and we'll be handling one of these again....

First Step

2009-12-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

I took the first step in making my little film a reality yesterday, it's not much yet but it's somewhere to go from. Keep checking out the site for updates!

www.strongcurrentfilms.com

A little video

2009-12-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

Check out this short video by one of our local surfers, Dana. It's a mix of footage mostly taken this fall. Look for my ugly, and frozen mug at about 1:52, then I'm riding a crappy wave starting at about 2:35.

Pretty Cool

2009-12-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

The winner of THIS has surfed with me on Lake Superior. He was a really relaxed and humble guy. After surfing that day, we drank enough beers at the Brewhouse to go to the Saratoga (if you're from around here, you know what that is ) and he graciously paid my way into the club. Pretty fitting, as there is going to be really big waves tomorrow out on the lake and we'll be out there charging.

Pic is of him surfing at Stoney Point.

A look into a new summer project....

2009-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

So, I'm currently developing ideas I've had for a long time for my first film. In a nutshell, it's going to be an exploratory search for really big muskies. I will be focusing on one particular body of water, I'm not even going to say if it's a lake or a river, because I've never seen something like it before and I hope it never changes. It will hopefully be an artistic look into a scenic location and a rather unique fish. Obviously not much will be happening over the winter months, but hopefully some of the logistics can be planned out and a solid story developed.

What I do need, are some folks willing to help out with the fishing. If you'd like more details contact me and I'll fill you in a little.

I've had lots of ideas for artistic projects lately and this one I'm really excited about and will make happen, mostly because I can do it all on my own. It should be interesting.

A good season...

2009-11-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

I'm not prepared to hang up the rods just yet, but deep down I know fishing season is over. I always tell myself I'm going to get out and cast the shoreline or fish out in front of the rivermouths, but I never really do. Here's a few pics that I tried to sum up my season with.

~Early season brown trout

~Spring Steelhead migration

~Fatty Smallmouths

~Hex Hatch

~Muskies

~Fall Steelhead

Underneath the Lake

2009-11-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

The water looks so cool beneath the waves, it's a whole different world.

Check it out

2009-10-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've made some of my photos available for sale HERE

SO, buy them all so I can go fishing more...

Thank Jeebus for Superior Steel

2009-10-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

A light, but strong snow, overcast skies, and the colors of fall certainly made for a picture perfect steelhead day and the fish were happy to come to my swung fly.

Searching Through the Rain

2009-10-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

It took a lot of searching, a lot of stepping and casting, but it paid off, as it usually does when you're patient. It also took a hard rain, and a morning after with a bright sun.

Step and Cast, Step and Cast

2009-10-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Another day, another beat-down on the B.B. I swear the fish I hooked today smiled at me as it spit my hook while climbing up the tree I hooked it under. That's the second one I've lost this year because it jumped up into an overhanging tree. Damn. The fish have been bright, and big so far, but I just can't tame one to hand. All I can do is step and cast, step and cast, step and cast.......

Finally

2009-09-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

The river is looking pretty fishy these days....

Inspired by Iron

2009-09-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

****Not a fishing post****

This past weekend I accompanied my good buddy Laddie to Madison for his second Ironman Triathlon. Yes, second. It was very inspiring to be there and see so many athletes of all different abilities. The pros were fun to watch, but seeing some of the age groupers who were really, really testing themselves to make it through each segment of the race was very cool. This truly is a special event, and I'm glad I got to see Laddie finish it again.

Another Cast

2009-09-07T16:55:00.000-07:00

Cast, cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, moonrise, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, cast,cast, sunset, cast,cast, cast.

Port Authority

2009-08-26T12:10:00.001-07:00

We went out and threw a few around looking for some sea port muskies today. Didn't find any, but it's fun to be out there with the big ships. I really think those fish could be anywhere out there, and there's a lot of water to explore. Don't know if there were any fish next to the ship Laura was casting to, but it would have been cool to have a big toothy critter come out of the shadow of that bow-thruster. It actually looked like a good spot-- the ship was anchored in the channel in 25 feet of water, and only a few yards away, at the edge of the channel, the water was only 3 feet with pilings lined up. Seemed like as good a place as any. Cool place for a photo anyways....

Mountain Water

2009-08-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Fishing is always different out west. Hatches come off during the day, there's room for a back cast, and there's lots and lots of fish. We difinetely had a killer time, and got into some good fishing.

First Steel of the Season

2009-08-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait any longer, and I'm glad I went. Summer-run steel, dang. I wasn't expecting to get one, but when I felt the pull, I knew what it was. Felt good to here the ole' drag whining as the fish bolted downstream.