The Female Angle: spey fishing

Showing posts with label spey fishing. Show all posts

10.12.14

11.3.13

The Skagit River is one of those iconic steelhead rivers, where the elusive silver ghost teases and tantalizes anglers. It's tree lined banks and wide expanse, with snow capped peaks towering in the background, evoke heartfelt memories for many, and just walking its banks leaves you with a lingering sense that you are walking in the footsteps of the fathers of steelheading. Names like Dec Hogan, Jerry French, Ed Ward and Harry Lemire are all synonomous with the Skagit, many a fly was designed on with its waters in mind, and the concept for the Skagit head was originated here.

In recent years the steelhead returns on the Skagit have suffered, to the point that the river now closes in February, completely. No catch and release season, no fly fishing only season...the river is left empty throughout the spring. An initiative, coined "Occupy Skagit", is being undertaken to try to restore the catch and release season once the run exceeds 6000 fish, to bring general awareness to the plight of this river, and to encourage WDFW to create a plan to encourage wild steelhead recovery. A river always needs concerned, passionate anglers to protect it.

From the Occupy Skagit Facebook Page:

What is Occupy Skagit?

• A gathering on the Skagit River, April 6th in support of restoring the C&R season. The activity will involve 'fishing' without hooks in as many visible places as possible on the Skagit and Sauk; from the bridge at Concrete upstream to Bacon Creek on the Skagit, and upstream on the Sauk to the bridge at Darrington.
• This is a 'Wade In' Our purpose is not to disrupt traffic, be violent, disrespectful, trespass, harass, or engage in illegal activity of any kind...you know, just like when you go fishing.
• This is a parallel action to mesh with attendance at the WDFW Comissioners Meeting the following week in Olympia.

Why is Occupy Skagit?

• At the time of the ESA listing of Puget Sound wild steelhead, it was generally acknowledged by NMFS that the most robust large basin population in the region was in the Skagit; in fact on its own it probably would not have been listed. After reviewing the evidence, it is our belief that a well managed, catch-and-release (C&R) season on the Skagit would not be inconsistent with the recovery of its wild winter steelhead.
• This will require a petition from WDFW to NMFS for a permit that establishes basin specific allowable impacts (as is currently being done with Puget Sound Chinook).
Who is Occupy Skagit?
• You are. If two people do it, no one will notice. If two hundred people do it, we hope to garner some attention. Sometimes you have to dump a little tea in the harbor to get noticed.

I've been fortunate enough to fish the Skagit a handful of times, but have yet to land a steelhead. Those trips were some of my best fishing trips ever, with great friends. This historic river needs all the support it can get. Even if you can't make the April 6th "wade in", please take a moment to join the Occupy Skagit Facebook page here.

30.12.12

Oct - Dec 2012: Browns, Ice and Escaping to Paradise

After a whirlwind couple of months, October slowed down considerably. The weather varied from cold and snowy to warm and sunny. We still had a handful of guided trips, and managed to get out a handful of times ourselves. Paula and I took her dad and uncle out for a float on Thanksgiving and found a few nice fish. She and I also spent a day in the mountains in heavy winds, which made fishing tough, to say the least. We had some epic bwo fishing for smaller cutties on a smaller stream that was a little more protected from the wind, and Paula coaxed a beautiful cuttie up to the surface at the end of the day. Late in the month we had a couple of good days nymphing the Bow, and found some amazing rainbows and browns.

Paula Shearer photo

The last couple of weeks of October is always filled with breathless anticipation as we all wait to hear if one of the most amazing steelhead rivers on earth will open up. At the end of the month it was announced that it would open, and Josh, Dean, Paula and I headed out the night before the opening on Nov 1st. I'd never fished opening day before, and my goal was for us to get first pass through a run. Josh and I stayed up all night, while Paula and Dean managed to snag an hour or so of shut eye. We were up at 4, and hung out in the dark on the rocks. That morning was one of my best days of steelheading ever, with four fish hooked and three landed. Josh missed one on the dry, and Dean lost a heavy buck at the beach. That night I saw a number of amazing friends I hadn't seen in months, and spent some time in the best pub there is.

Josh Nugent photo

A week and a half later Paula and I headed back out, and the fishing had slowed down somewhat, but Paula hooked and landed her first fish on the river, and Stevie found a couple. I had a few good grabs in the 6 days we fished, but no actual hook ups. We spent a lot of time with good friends, and while Paula's mantra was "I'm not drinking tonight" there were copious amounts of beer and shots consumed.

The next month was fairly quiet, as it got really cold in Calgary and the river was full of ice and slush. I tied a ton of flies, and decided, on the basis of a great job offer, to stay in Calgary for the winter. Mid December I headed back to the coast to pack up my place and put it in storage. It was great to get the chance to see a bunch of people, and I made it to the M&Y Christmas party. On my way out of town I was able to spend two days with Ape, who I'd barely had the chance to talk to since May. Then I headed up to meet Josh and Zach in steelhead paradise. That afternoon they both landed beautiful fish, and before I new it the next day was done and we were headed back to Calgary.

Paula Sheaer photo

Zach Southgate photo

Christmas was quiet and relaxing, and with temperatures ranging from -20C to below -30C with wind chill fishing was not really an option. Its warmed up a little in the past couple days, and we made it out for a few hours yesterday. Tomorrow is New Year's, and I have to admit I'm in a little bit of shock that 2012 is almost over. I'm excited for 2013 will bring. I'm thrilled to be working for Fly Fusion and the International Fly Fishing Film Festival this winter, and hope I can make it back to the coast a few times in the upcoming months to scratch that steelhead itch.